Lynx rufus (Bobcat)
Credit: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
about the species
The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a medium-sized carnivore well adapted to a variety of environments and is an important landscape species for conservation planning. They occur throughout the United States with an estimated population size of two to three million individuals. Bobcats are largely carnivorous, consuming mainly lagomorphs and rodents. They prefer large areas of rocky terrain in brushy forest or chaparral but are also habitat generalists that could persist in anthropogenically altered areas.
why species was selected
Bobcats are good candidates for CCGP because of their widespread distribution and central role in the food web. They are also considered umbrella species for conserving diverse ecological communities. Understanding their genomic diversity could help us establish management units for bobcats across California and identify the genetic diversity hotspots of high conservation concern.
