Bobcat
Lynx rufus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyFelidae (Felids)
- GenusLynx
- SpeciesLynx rufus (Bobcat)
The bobcat (Lynx rufus), also known as the wildcat, bay lynx, or red lynx, is one of the four extant species within the medium-sized wild cat genus Lynx. Native to North America, it ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2002, due to its wide distribution and large population. Although it has been hunted extensively both for sport and fur, populations have proven stable, though declining in some areas. It has distinctive black bars on its forelegs and a black-tipped, stubby (or "bobbed") tail, from which it derives its name. It reaches a total length (including the tail) of up to 125 cm (50 in). Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Bobcat sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 15 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Rocky Mountain National Park
Mountain Lion
Puma concolor
Coyote
Canis latrans
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Coastal Marten
Martes caurina
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
Stoat
Mustela erminea
Western Spotted Skunk
Spilogale gracilis
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bobcat in Rocky Mountain National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bobcat sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 15 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bobcat in Rocky Mountain National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Bobcat in Rocky Mountain National Park in our monthly data.