Bobcat sightings rise in Southeast Missouri

PUXICO, Mo. -- More and more, the public is hearing of bobcat sightings in Southeast Missouri. A recent Facebook posting of a bobcat seen within the confines of Mingo Wildlife Refuge confirmed their presence again in the region and raised some questions for Peter Rea, refuge ranger at Mingo.

Rea said a daytime sighting of a bobcat is rare. They are nocturnal animals, preferring heavy forest cover with underbrush, making Mingo an ideal setting for such an animal.

"There is a healthy population of bobcats on the refuge," Rea said. "The refuge provides ideal habitat with the rocky bluffs, open field and forested areas. We have trail cameras out on the refuge and frequently get pictures of bobcats. They're extremely stealthy and, for that reason, are not often seen by visitors."

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, bobcats once lived primarily in the Ozarks and the Bootheel, but over the past few decades have expanded westward and northward.

They are considered one of the most common wildcats in North America, with an estimated 1 million from southern Canada to northern Mexico.

A mature bobcat can be from 18 to 50 inches long and weigh eight to nearly 50 pounds. They are of yellowish to reddish-brown in color, streaked and spotted with black. They have long hind legs, a short, broad face and a short "bobbed" tail that is from three to eight inches long.

"The one pictured has a number of black streaks, so it appears darker," Rea said. "Bobcats molt twice each year, and the summer coat is often more of a reddish color, while the winter coat is more gray in color."

It is estimated a bobcat will travel between three and seven miles nightly. They begin to mate from December to June, with the peak season in March. They have a 50- to 70-day gestation, and two or three kittens are considered a normal litter.