{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "bobcat",
  "name": "Bobcat",
  "scientificName": "Lynx rufus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "Bobcats are versatile medium-sized cats named for their short 'bobbed' tail, found from southern Canada to Mexico in forests, deserts, and swamps. They weigh 6–14 kg (13–30 lb), hunt rabbits and rodents, and increasingly appear on trail cameras in suburban greenbelts.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Carnivora",
    "family": "Felidae",
    "genus": "Lynx"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 10,
    "lengthM": 0.85,
    "topSpeedKmh": 48,
    "lifespanYears": 12
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Lynx rufus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — rabbits, hares, rodents, and birds"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Forests, deserts, swamps, and scrub across North America"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "10–12 years in the wild (up to 15 in captivity)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "6–14 kg (13–30 lb); males larger than females"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 48 km/h (30 mph) in short pursuit"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Everywhere from southern Canada through the continental United States to Oaxaca in Mexico, in forest, desert, swamp, and suburban edge habitat.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Lynx rufus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Lynx%20rufus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Lynx rufus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lynx_rufus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bobcat/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bobcat/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}