Caracal Research Paper

The bobcat is twice the size of the average cat, but can kill larger animals. It is a highly adaptable, elusive, predator that inhabits wooded areas, deserts and mountains. It can be found from Canada to Mexico. The Lynx Rufus is active at dusk and night. The bobcat has exceptional hearing. Eats small animals, birds and reptiles.

Conservationists have been particularly interested in the restoration of carnivore populations because they have a big impact on the rest of that ecosystem. One example of how carnivore population can cause issues is the decrease of the wolf population in Yellowstone Park. They killed the wolf population thinking it would help, but little did they know they were actually destroying the rest of the ecosystem. Certain ecosystem are like a car; if you remove one piece, then the entire car won’t function correctly. A decrease in carnivore populations means an increase in herbivore populations and then those organisms will use up all the possible resources in that area. That can cause many problems. It shows that the carnivores keep everything together

recently become detrimental to many wildlife species. These house cats are responsible for the deaths of

They are scavengers and predators and eat small animals like rabbits or rodents. They have been known to take down vulnerable prey much larger than themselves like caribou or moose. They scavenge for food and eat carrion, the carcasses of animals. It is said that they will challenge much larger predatory animals when food is scarce like cougar, wolves, and even bears. They have also been known to burrow underground to eat hibernating animals, and will eat some plants, berries, and bird eggs as well. Being short and stocky they do not chase or stalk their prey rather they use their superior climbing abilities to hide in trees or behind rocks and pounce on their next meal. Wolverines possess a special upper molar in the back of their mouth that is rotated ninety degrees towards the inside of their mouth. This special molar allows them to tear through frozen solid meat of carrion and crush bone to extract the marrow. They also have potent anal scent glands for marking territory and mating, these scent glands have earned the wolverine nicknames like the skunk bear or nasty cat. They have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of hearing and smell. Also they are powerful swimmers much like their cousins the otter and mink. Wolverines are nocturnal animals but it is not uncommon for them to be active during the day. They have no real natural predators but will fight, and sometimes be killed, over territory and

Just a little bigger than a guinea pig, their life span is just about 10 to twenty years. In the open, as herbivores, their diet contains grasses, berries, and plant life.

Therefore, limiting their territory resulting in a conflict that raises the rate of mortality of the specie which is called intraspecific aggression. Another factors affecting the density are the environmental changes on lands due to fragmentation and destruction of their natural habitats causes by humans in our ambition to expand our needs (development of new cities, roads, houses, etc.) so that way we contribute to the extinction and limited growth of the specie. In the other hand, density independent factors affecting panther’s population are diseases, viral infections, and feline leukemia, so in order to stop or reduce this mortality fatalities. Government agencies must take actions and intervene to ensure the panthers habitats without risking or damage natural reservations which protect endangered animals. Panthers in its vast territorial expansion throughout the southeast have occupied the top of the food chain, however, the decline of their species have caused other non-native predators animals have moved into the open niche. Carnivores like the Coyotes currently compete for the same prey and occupy the same hunting grounds and reproduction sites marginalizing and limiting them to thrive.

They can also breed with coyotes because their DNA is so similar. Both of the parents care for their young after they are born. The pups leave the den by the time they are 6 weeks old, they reach full size by the time they are one and can reproduce by the time they are two.

The leopardus pardalis, or the ocelot, also known as the dwarf leopard, has been endangered since 1982 and is protected by the Endangered Species Act (FWS, 2010). Ocelots have been declared a federally endangered species (Tewes, 2001). They are native to South and Central America as well as Mexico (FWS, 2010). Texas is a far north as the wild cat has been found, but a few have been noted to have lived in Arizona and Louisiana in the past (Campbell, 2003, Moore, 2013). A feature that denotes it from other cats is the parallel striping descending down the neck and above the eyes. It is a medium sized cat with body size resembling the bobcat, weighing between 24 and 35 pounds when full grown (FWS, 2010).

A California Sea Lion is a large mammal Connected to the pinniped family which includes Seals and Walruses. A male California Sea Lion can measure eight feet long and reach a weight of 1000 pounds or more while the female Sea Lions weigh up to 250 pounds.

The Canada Lynx is one of the most popular and well known cat species in the world. Being a Canadian born species the Lynx benefits from having long legs and a broad footpad in which helps it walk in deep snow. This species is highly recognizable by almost everyone just from its unique features such as its uniquely small tail, long strands of hair at the end of its face, and its rust brownish red fur. The Lynx cat eats mostly the snowshoe hare, which does affect its population at times. When the hare population declines the adult Lynx commonly survives the famine but its babies do not which causes a decline in population. The Lynx reproduce during the winter months, females mating with only one male typically at night. Females in most cases give birth to one to six kittens every time. When there is a low food supply this can cause the female to not be able to get pregnant at all or abort the baby due to the lack of nutrition.

Lynx Rufus also referred to as bobcat is the most common wildcat found in North America. They are medium size with a lot of similarity to lynx. Their skin color ranges from beige shades to brown fur that has lined markings in black or dark brown.

The absence of wolves has allowed for smaller predators to increase in population and range, such as coyotes and raccoons. These species in turn cause greater exploitation of their specific food sources. Coyotes have now assumed the position of top predator in California, making populations of foxes dwindle as they compete for the similar food sources.

tail. They have gray or rosy brown backs with lighter gray or brown hind legs and have

So in order for cats to survive out in the wild, they need to have ways to keep themselves safe from predators. When cats are being attacked by predators, or they feel threatened in any way, they will arc their back and fold their ears. They will also let out a high pitched yowl called a hiss. Cats do this to stand up to their predator, and let them know that they will fight them if they come close. Cats also have a lens in the very back of their eyes which makes it so that when it is dark out, the lens reflects light off of it, making everything around them light up to them. This can be very useful when it is dark out and an owl is hunting. Cats can see the owl coming and hide away. Cats also have very large ears that can hear 3x better than a human can. Cats ears can also rotate, around almost 360 degrees which can help them pinpoint where the, say coyote, is and run away in the right direction, or prepare for an attack with their sharp

The Amur Leopard is one of the most critically endangered big cats in the world. The Turtleback