central-oregon-cats

CENTRAL OREGON WILDLIFE

CATS

Central Oregon is only home to two wild cats: cougars and bobcats. If you find an injured or suspected orphaned cougar or bobcat, do not approach and instead call Think Wild’s wildlife hotline at (541) 241-8680.

Cougar (mountain lion) (Puma concolor)
Cougars are generalist and have a wide variety of habitats from high in the mountains to the desert, from the remotest wild places to the edge of towns. They are usually found in remote forested areas and often in dense vegetation. They are often active as much during the day as at night and use caves as retreats. In areas with lots of humans, nocturnal activity increases. They are largely solitary mammals. They are together female and its young and that of the female and male during mating season.

Cougar’s increase their movements during late winter as a result of the scarcity of food.  They hunt almost continuously, rarely spending more than a day in the same location.
Predation by cougars keeps deer and elk moving, especially on the winter range. When a kill is made elk and deer move immediately.

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
Bobcats inhabit a variety of areas throughout Oregon, except intensively cultivated lands and areas at high altitudes. They occur most commonly in brushy areas. Bobcats are active for periods of four to eight hours and then inactive for one to eight hours. They are most active at night but on occasion during the day hunting along forest roads, wetlands, and thickets. Hunt for rodents, rabbits, and a variety of other animals. Bobcats spend periods of inactivity at den sites in natural cavities, hollow logs, or protected areas under logs, but during fair weather, a bobcat commonly lies quietly in vegetation.

Bobcats’ fear of humans and dogs may cause them to abandon their young without apparent willingness to fight.

CENTRAL OREGON WILDLIFE

Central Oregon is only home to two wild cats: cougars and bobcats. If you find an injured or suspected orphaned cougar or bobcat, do not approach and instead call Think Wild’s wildlife hotline at (541) 241-8680.

Cougar (mountain lion)(Puma concolor)

Cougars are generalist and have a wide variety of habitats from high in the mountains to the desert, from the remotest wild places to the edge of towns. They are usually found in remote forested areas and often in dense vegetation. They are often active as much during the day as at night and use caves as retreats. In areas with lots of humans, nocturnal activity increases. They are largely solitary mammals. They are together female and its young and that of the female and male during mating season.
Cougar’s increase their movements during late winter as a result of the scarcity of food. They hunt almost continuously, rarely spending more than a day in the same location. Predation by cougars keeps deer and elk moving, especially on the winter range. When a kill is made elk and deer move immediately.

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Bobcats inhabit a variety of areas throughout Oregon, except intensively cultivated lands and areas at high altitudes. They occur most commonly in brushy areas. Bobcats are active for periods of four to eight hours and then inactive for one to eight hours. They are most active at night but on occasion during the day hunting along forest roads, wetlands, and thickets. Hunt for rodents, rabbits, and a variety of other animals. Bobcats spend periods of inactivity at den sites in natural cavities, hollow logs, or protected areas under logs, but during fair weather, a bobcat commonly lies quietly in vegetation.
Bobcats’ fear of humans and dogs may cause them to abandon their young without apparent willingness to fight.