Red lynx. Red or red lynx (lat. Lynx rufus) Red lynx
The red lynx is a medium sized species wild cats, which are distributed in a variety of habitats throughout the southern half of North America. They are widespread and highly adaptable predators that are closely related to the larger species of the northern Canadian lynx, with the difference that the red lynx has only a small "clipped" tail, while the lynx has a longer and fuller tail. Measuring twice the size of a domestic cat, the bobcat has the widest range of any North American feline, but their secretive nature means they are rarely seen by humans. There are currently twelve recognized subspecies of the red lynx, which vary in their coloration and geographic range: individuals found in the mountain forest are darker than their lighter cousins that inhabit more arid, semi-arid regions.
Anatomy and appearance
Due to the fact that the red lynx belongs to the same family as the lynx, they are similar in appearance, but not in everything. The red lynx is smaller and has smaller legs and ear tufts than Canadian lynx, and is often darker in color. The red lynx has beige, brown, or reddish fur, variegated or spotted, with the intensity of these markings depending on the individual and where it lives (those that live in more open, arid areas tend to have less bright color than those that live in shady and humid places). The lower body of the red lynx has White color, so the dark spots on it are more distinctive, and they also have the white tip of their short, black tails, which only grow about 15 cm long. As the lynx grows larger, it develops ear tufts that serve to improve their hearing, along with a lush edging of fur around their muzzles as well.
Distribution and habitat
The red lynx is one of the most widely distributed species of all North American felines and is found in North America from southern Canada to southern Mexico. These are incredibly versatile animals that have adapted to living in a variety of habitats throughout all three different countries. Although bobcats are known to prefer rocky slopes that are well vegetated, they are found in numerous habitats throughout their natural range, including montane forests, coniferous forest, swamp, desert and even suburban areas in some places. The exact appearance of the red lynx depends on what type of habitat, depending on the different colors, allows the individual to remain camouflaged in the surroundings. The historical range of the red lynx applies to all of North America, but hunting them for their fur and losing them natural environment habitats have led to their extinction in some areas.
Behavior and lifestyle 
The red lynx is a solitary and nocturnal animal that is most active in the dark of night, tending to hunt most during dawn and dusk. During the day, red lynxes sleep and rest in dens in the form of rock crevices or tree hollows. One individual usually has several lairs in the range of its territory. Red bobcats are very territorial and mark their ranges with the smell of their urine and feces, as well as distinctive claw marks on trees to alert others to their presence. Males patrol a large range of their territory, which is often overlapped by a number of smaller female territories, but the two sexes will not interact until the breeding season, which begins in winter period. At other times of the year, Red Eyes tend to avoid each other to reduce their risk of injury in combat.
Life cycles and reproduction
Red bobcats are only found together during the breeding season, when both males and females may mate with multiple partners. After a gestation period that lasts for 8 to 10 weeks, the female bobcat gives birth to a litter of up to 6 kittens in a safe and secluded den. Red bobcat kittens are born blind and open their eyes after about 10 days, feeding on their mother's milk until they are old enough to start consuming meat. Most births occur in late winter or early spring. The kittens usually don't stay with their mother until the next winter and leave her when they are about eight months old and have learned how to hunt on their own. Female bobcats tend to have one litter each year, and once mated, the male plays no role in raising the young.
Diet
The red bobcat is a carnivorous feline, which means it hunts and eats other animals to get the nutrients it needs to survive. The red lynx mainly preys on small mammals such as rabbits, hares and mice, along with birds and occasionally lizards. In harsh winter months they also prey on large animals, including deer, and also feed on carrion. The red lynx is an incredibly elusive predator that silently stalks its prey in the dark before pouncing on it with incredible force. Despite their size, bobcats are known to be able to kill animals that are significantly larger than themselves. In populated areas bordering their natural habitat, bobcats also occasionally attack livestock such as birds and sheep.
Predators and threats
The red lynx is a fierce and dominant predator in its natural habitat. Therefore, adult red lynxes are threatened by few animals, these include cougars and wolves. Small kittens and vulnerable bobcats, however, can become prey to coyotes and owls, which are able to prey on kittens while the mother is out hunting. The biggest threat to red bobcat populations across North America is people who used to hunt red bobcats for their soft fur and have nearly wiped them out in some areas. In areas where bobcats are now forced to share their natural ranges with a growing number of people, they have also been hunted by farmers who fear for their livestock. Despite being highly adaptable animals, bobcats are also threatened by habitat loss, with populations being pushed into smaller and more isolated regions of their once vast natural range.
Which is native to North America. There are currently 13 subspecies of the red lynx.
Description
The red lynx is almost twice as big domestic cat. The body length ranges from 65 to 105 cm. The tail adds an additional 11 to 19 cm to the total length of the animal. The height at the withers is 45-58 cm. Adult lynxes weigh 4-15 kg. The red lynx has long and massive paws. The species can be easily identified by the tassels on the ears and whiskers on the "cheeks". Sexual dimorphism is markedly pronounced, females are smaller than males.
The coat is brown or brown-red in color. The underparts are white, while the ear tufts, spots, and stripes are black. Unlike other species (, and), in which the tip of the tail is black, in the red lynx it is black and white. In winter, the coat of the animal acquires a gray color.
area
The bobcat is found throughout North America, from southern Canada to southern Mexico. In the United States, population densities are much higher in the southeast than in the west.
Habitat
The red lynx can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including subtropical forests, arid semi-deserts, mountains, swampy lowlands and shrubs. Sometimes they are found in the suburbs of large cities. Lynxes sleep in hidden dens, tree hollows, thickets, or rock crevices. The species is highly adaptive and can adapt to different conditions. The red lynx is good at climbing trees and climbing them for shelter from threats and in search of food. Bobcats prefer terrain with a minimum amount of snow, as their paws are not adapted to walking in deep snow.
reproduction
The breeding system is polygynous. Males and females interact for the short time required for courtship and copulation. Mating takes place in early spring, although the time is variable. Pregnancy lasts 60-70 days, as a result of which about 3 kittens are born. Cubs open their eyes when they are 10 days old. Breastfeeding lasts about 2 months. Then, the females bring meat to their offspring and teach everything. At the age of about 8 months, lynxes become independent. Males do not take part in raising cubs.
Sexual maturity in females occurs at the age of one year, and in males - at 2 years.
Lifespan
Red lynxes live up to 12 years in wild nature. In captivity, they can live up to 32 years.
Nutrition
Red lynxes are strictly carnivores. Their diet consists of: rabbits, birds, rodents and small game (although they are capable of killing prey large sizes than themselves). There were known cases of lynx hunting for domestic animals - cats and dogs. Bobcats are silent hunters, they use their sight and hearing to follow their prey. These predators wait for their prey, and then suddenly pounce on it, grab it by the neck and make a deadly bite. If the lynx does not eat the prey right away, it will hide the leftovers to eat later.
Behavior
Although lynxes tend to be most active at dusk and dawn, in some parts of their range they lead more night image life, while in other areas, during the winter food shortage, red lynxes are active during the day. The lynx is able to capture prey 10 times heavier than its own body.
Like most other cats, the lynx prefers a solitary lifestyle, except during the breeding season. The size of the home range depends on the habitat and the amount of food, and varies between 6-325 square kilometers. Males and females mark the boundaries of their territories with markings using feces, urine, and scratching. Male home ranges may overlap those of several females and even males.
Communication and perception
Red lynxes mark their territories to repel intruders. They make various sounds when communicating with each other during the breeding season. Like all cats, lynxes have excellent eyesight and hearing, and a well-developed sense of smell.
Threats
Adults face few threats in their habitat other than humans. Natural enemies are coyotes, wolves and cougars. Their cubs become prey for large owls, coyotes and foxes.
Disease, accidents, poaching and starvation are other significant reasons mortality of red lynxes. Juveniles are subject to high mortality shortly after leaving their mothers. Cannibalism is present when food is in short supply, but this is rare and does not significantly affect the population.
Red lynxes regulate the population of many species of mammals and birds.
Economic importance for humans
positive
In the past, lynxes were hunted for their valuable hides. However, due to the good control of the trading process, this is not the reason for the extinction of animals.
negative
Sometimes lynxes eat small domestic animals, leading to efforts to eradicate them in some regions. In the southeastern United States, bobcats are becoming more accustomed to urban and suburban environments, although their reclusive nature guarantees remoteness of the animals.
conservation status
The bobcat is listed in CITES Appendix II. Mexican subspecies ( Lynx rufus escuinapae) is listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This subspecies is restricted to central Mexico.
There are probably almost one million lynxes living in the United States. In some areas they are quite rare animals, while in others they have stable and sometimes large populations. Therefore, in some states, regulated hunting has been introduced, while in others it is prohibited.
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Red lynx (lat. Lynx rufus) - predatory mammal from the cat family (Felidae). Presumably it comes from . About 2.6 million years ago, her ancestors arrived on the American continent from Eurasia through the Bering Strait. The modern population formed about 20 thousand years ago.
The red lynx is a traditional hunting object for the native Indian peoples of North America. In their mythology, she is often contrasted with the coyote, which often personifies the pale-faced immigrants from Europe.
The population is estimated at 750-1500 thousand individuals. The species was first described in 1777 by the German zoologist Johann Christian von Schreber.
Spreading
To date, 12 subspecies have been identified. Due to the absence of geographical barriers between them and minor morphological differences, such a taxonomy is rather conditional. The most common are the subspecies L.r. rufus and L.r. escuinapae. The latter is found only in Mexico.
The habitat extends from southern Canada through almost the entire territory of the United States to Mexican state Oaxaca. Bobcats have not been observed in recent years in the eastern and midwestern United States, where, due to intensive management Agriculture almost destroyed their natural habitat.
Most often, predators are found in the states of Minnesota, South Dakota, Job and Missouri. More recently, they were found in Pennsylvania and even in the central part of the state of New York in the vicinity of the city of Syracuse.
In the north, the boundary of the range passes in the zone of snowfall. This type in contrast to it, it does not know how to move on a snowy surface and is not adapted to existence in a cold climate.
He does not have thick hair on his paws, which allows him not to fall through the snowdrifts. For this reason, he cannot develop sufficient speed on snow. In a number of Canadian provinces, both species occupy the same territories, periodically mate and produce fertile offspring.
In Northern and Central Mexico Red Lynx lives in dry bush, coniferous and oak forests. The southern border of the range is located between the subtropical and tropical zone. In general, the animal easily adapts to changing conditions, meeting both in the lowland savannahs and in highlands, Rocky Mountains and Appalachians. Often it settles near human dwellings and settlements.
Behavior
Lynx rufus is nocturnal. It becomes active about 3 hours before sunset and hunts until midnight. Then he rests a little and continues hunting closer to dawn. Activity stops 2 hours after dawn. During the day, the predator runs a distance of 4 to 11 km. In winter, habits change, and she often goes out to fish in the daytime. This is due to a change in the behavior of their victims.
Each adult animal occupies a certain territory, the size of which depends on its sex and the abundance of game. He marks his possessions with urine, feces and claw marks on trees.
He has several hideouts. Usually this is one main lair and several additional ones at the edge of the hunting area. The shelter is located in hollows, bushes or in the ground under stones. Each such shelter exudes a strong aroma of its owner.
The area of land, depending on the area, can be from 1 to 326 square meters. km. On average, males occupy about 20 square meters. km, and females are about two times smaller. In young individuals, the plot rarely exceeds 6-7 square meters. km. In winter starvation, it increases significantly.
Although the representatives of this species are considered hermits, they are tolerant of their relatives, which is rare among Felines. Males like to visit each other, then something like a social hierarchy is established between them.
Females are more prone to loneliness and do not enter foreign lands. Several females sometimes live in the territory of one male. Usually, one animal accounts for about 13 square meters. km of land. The animals swim well, but they do it reluctantly and avoid water in every possible way.
Nutrition
The red lynx can go without food for a long time, at the same time it is able to eat a lot at one time. When there is little food, the predator hunts for large game, leaving some of the meat for the next hungry days.
Hunting is carried out from ambush. Victims are overtaken in a jump from above or a short run. Most often they are mammals weighing 0.7-5.7 kg.
These include rabbits, hares and rodents. A little less often, birds, fish and insects get on the dining table. Sometimes small livestock and poultry are killed. Most often hunting is carried out on lambs, geese and ducks.
Every year, lynxes in the United States kill about 10,000 sheep. They are relatively easy to cope with prey, which is 8 times their own weight.
In winter, predators successfully hunt deer when it is difficult to finish off other prey. They sneak up on resting deer and gnaw their throats. Uneaten parts of the carcass are buried under leaves or snow, returning to it as hunger appears.
reproduction
Sexual maturity occurs in the second year of life, although some females bear offspring already in the first. Males are ready to procreate from September to the beginning of summer. The dominant male mates with the female for several days. This usually occurs in winter and early spring. IN mating season a quiet and cautious animal makes a wide variety of loud sounds.
The female feeds offspring alone. Pregnancy lasts 60-70 days. 2-4 kittens are born from April to May. They weigh 280-340 g, and their body length is about 25 cm. Sometimes there is a second litter in September. Childbirth takes place in a secluded place, usually in a narrow cave or hollow tree.
Babies are born blind and helpless.
Their eyes open after 9-10 days. Monthly lynxes begin to explore the surroundings. Milk feeding continues until two months of age. At 3-5 months, lynx cubs travel with their mother and learn all the necessary skills.
At the age of one year, they begin an independent existence. Lynxes are preyed upon by owls, eagles, coyotes and foxes. They are also killed by males when the opportunity arises. Cannibalism occurs during starvation and is quite rare, so it has little effect on population size.
Description
The red lynx is the smallest member of the Lynx genus. The length of the body is 70-120 cm, the tail is 10-18 cm. The height at the withers is 36-38 cm. The weight is 7-14 kg. Females are about a quarter smaller than males. One year old animals weigh about 4.5 kg.
The body is muscular, the hind legs are longer than the front. The front part of the head is wide, surrounded by a collar of long hair. The fur is soft, long and thick. The nose is pink-red, the eyes are yellow with black pupils that dilate at night. Vision, hearing and sense of smell are very well developed.
Camouflage color depends on the habitat. Gray-brown color with black spots and stripes prevails.
Beard, cheeks and belly are white. In individuals living in desert and semi-desert areas, the fur is lighter. Occasionally, completely black specimens come across mainly in Florida, but upon closer examination, characteristic patterns are visible.
The life expectancy of a lynx in the wild is about 10 years. In captivity, with good care, they live up to 26-32 years.
California ground cuckoo- a North American bird from the cuckoo family (Cuculidae). It lives in deserts and semi-deserts in the south and southwest of the United States and in northern Mexico.
Adult ground cuckoos reach a length of 51 to 61 cm, including the tail. They have a long, slightly curved beak. The head, crest, back and long tail are dark brown with light spots. The neck and belly are also light. The extremely long legs and long tail are adaptations for a desert-running lifestyle.
Most representatives of the cuckoo suborder keep in the crowns of trees and shrubs, fly well, and this species lives on the ground. Due to the peculiar composition of the body and long legs the cuckoo moves like a chicken. On the run, she stretches her neck somewhat, slightly opens her wings and raises her crest. Only when necessary, the bird takes off into the trees or flies over short distances.The California ground cuckoo can reach speeds of up to 42 km/h. The special arrangement of the toes also helps her in this, since both outer toes are located back, and both inner ones are forward. She flies, however, because of her short wings very poorly and can stay in the air for only a few seconds.
The California ground cuckoo has evolved an unusual, energy-saving way to spend cold nights in the desert. At this time of day, her body temperature drops and she falls into a kind of immobile hibernation. On her back there are dark patches of skin that are not covered with feathers. In the morning, she spreads her feathers and exposes these areas of the skin to the sun, due to which the body temperature quickly returns to normal levels.
This bird spends most of its time on the ground and preys on snakes, lizards, insects, rodents and small birds. She is fast enough to kill even small vipers, which she grabs by the tail with her beak and beats her head on the ground like a whip. She swallows her prey whole. Own English name Road Runner (road runner) this bird received for the fact that it used to run after mail coaches and grab small animals disturbed by their wheels.
The earthen cuckoo fearlessly appears where other inhabitants of the desert are reluctant to penetrate - into the possession of rattlesnakes, since these poisonous reptiles, especially young ones, serve as prey for birds. The cuckoo usually attacks the snake, trying to hit it with a powerful long beak in the head. At the same time, the bird constantly bounces, evading the enemy's throws. Earthen cuckoos are monogamous: a pair is formed for the period of hatching, and both parents incubate the clutch and feed the cuckoos. Birds build a nest from twigs and dry grass in bushes or thickets of cacti. There are 3-9 white eggs in a clutch. Cuckoo chicks are fed exclusively with reptiles.death valley
Death Valley got its name from the settlers who crossed it in 1849, trying to reach the gold mines of California by the shortest route. The guidebook briefly reports that "some stayed in it forever." The dead were poorly prepared for the passage through the desert, did not stock up on water and lost their bearings. Before his death, one of them cursed this place, calling it Death Valley. The few survivors withered the meat of the mules on the wreckage of the dismantled wagons and reached the goal. They left behind "cheerful" geographical names: Death Valley, Burial Range, Last Chance Ridge, Coffin Canyon, Dead Man's Pass, Hell's Gate, Rattlesnake Gorge, etc.
Death Valley is surrounded by mountains on all sides. This is a seismically active region, the surface of which is shifting along fault lines. Huge blocks of the earth's surface move in the process of underground earthquakes, the mountains become higher, and the valley goes lower in relation to sea level. On the other hand, erosion is constantly occurring - the destruction of mountains as a result of the influence of natural forces. Small and large stones, minerals, sand, salts and clay washed off the surface of the mountains fill the valley (now the level of these ancient layers is about 2,750 m). However, the intensity of geological processes far exceeds the force of erosion, therefore, in the next million years, the tendency of "growth" of mountains and lowering of the valley will continue.
Badwater Basin is the lowest part of Death Valley, located at 85.5 m below sea level. Sometime after ice age Death Valley was a huge lake with fresh water. The local hot and dry climate contributed to the inevitable evaporation of water. Annual short-term, but very intense rains wash tons of minerals from the surface of the mountains into the lowlands. The salts remaining after the evaporation of the water settle to the bottom, reaching the highest concentration in the lowest place, in the Pond with bad water. Here, rainwater lingers longer, forming small temporary lakes. Once upon a time, the first settlers were surprised that their dehydrated mules refused to drink water from these lakes, and they marked "bad water" on the map. So this area got its name. In fact, the water in the pool (when it is) is not poisonous, but it tastes very salty. There are also unique inhabitants here that are not found in other places: algae, aquatic insects, larvae and even a mollusk, named after the place of residence Badwater Snail.
In a vast area of the valley, located below the level of the World Ocean, and once the bottom of a prehistoric lake, one can observe the amazing behavior of salt deposits. This area is divided into two different zones, differing in texture and shape of salt crystals. In the first case, salt crystals grow upwards, forming bizarre pointed heaps and labyrinths 30-70 cm high. They form an interesting foreground with their randomness, well emphasized by the rays of the low sun in the morning and evening hours. Sharp as knives, growing crystals on a hot day emit an ominous, unlike anything crack. This section of the valley is quite difficult to navigate, but it is better not to spoil this beauty.
Nearby is the lowest terrain in the Valley Badwater Basin. Salt behaves differently here. On an absolutely flat white surface, a uniform salt net 4-6 cm high is formed. The grid consists of figures, gravitating in shape to a hexagon, and covers the bottom of the Valley with a huge cobweb, creating an absolutely unearthly landscape.
In the southern part of Death Valley is a flat, flat clay plain - the bottom of the dried-up lake Racetrack Playa - called the Valley of moving stones (Racetrack Playa). According to the very phenomenon found in this area - "self-propelled" stones.Sailing stones, also called sliding or crawling stones, are a geological phenomenon. The stones move slowly along the clay bottom of the lake, as evidenced by the long footprints left behind them. The stones move on their own without the help of living beings, but no one has ever seen or recorded the movement on camera. Similar stone movements have been noted in several other places, but in terms of the number and length of tracks, Racetrack Playa stands out from the rest.
In 1933, "Death Valley" was declared a national monument, and in 1994 it received the status national park and the territory of the park was expanded to include another 500,000 hectares of land.
The territory of the park includes the Salina Valley, most of the Panamint Valley, as well as the territories of several mountain systems. Telescope Peak rises to the west, Dante’s View to the east, from which you can see beautiful view all over the valley.
There are many picturesque places here, especially on the slopes adjacent to the desert plain: the extinct Ubehebe volcano, the Titus canyon is deep. 300 m and a length of 20 km; a small lake with very salty water, in which a small shrimp lives; in the desert 22 species unique plants, 17 species of lizards and 20 species of snakes. The park has a unique landscape. This is an unusual wild beautiful nature, graceful rock formations, snow-capped mountain peaks, scorching salty plateaus, shallow canyons, hills covered with millions of delicate flowers.Coati- a mammal from the genus nosoha of the raccoon family. This mammal received its name for an elongated and very funny mobile stigma-nose.
Their head is narrow, their hair is short, their ears are round and small. On the edge of the inner side of the ears is a white rim. Nosuha - the owner of a very long tail, which is almost always in a vertical position. With the help of the tail, the animal balances when moving. The characteristic color of the tail is the alternation of light yellow, brown and black rings.
The color of the nose is varied: from orange to dark brown. The muzzle is usually a uniform black or brown. On the muzzle, below and above the eyes, there are light spots. The neck is yellowish, the paws are painted black or dark brown.
the trap is elongated, the paws are strong with five fingers and non-retractable claws. With its claws, the nosuha digs the ground, getting food. The hind legs are longer than the front. The length of the body from the nose to the tip of the tail is 80-130 cm, the length of the tail itself is 32-69 cm. The height at the withers is about 20-29 cm. They weigh about 3-5 kg. Males are almost twice as large as females.
Nosoha live on average 7-8 years, but in captivity they can live up to 14 years. They live in tropical and subtropical forests of South America and the southern United States. Their favorite place is dense bushes, low-lying forests, rocky terrain. Due to human intervention Lately noses prefer forest edges and glades.
It is said that nosoha used to be called simply badgers, but since real badgers moved to Mexico, the true homeland of nosoha, this species has received its individual name.
All noses, including coatis, are predators! Coatis get their food with their noses, diligently sniffing and groaning, they inflate the foliage in this way and look for termites, ants, scorpions, beetles, larvae under it. Sometimes it can eat land crabs, frogs, lizards, rodents. During the hunt, the coati clamps the victim with its paws and bites through its head. In difficult times of famine, nosuhi allow themselves vegetarian cuisine, they eat ripe fruits, which, as a rule, are always in abundance in the forest. Moreover, they do not make stocks, but return to the tree from time to time.
Nosoha live both in groups and alone. In groups of 5-6 individuals, sometimes their number reaches 40. In groups there are only females and young males. Adult males live alone. The reason for this is their aggressive attitude towards babies. They are expelled from the group and only return to mate.Males usually lead a solitary life and only during the mating season do they join the family groups of females with young. In the mating season, and this is usually from October to March, one male is accepted into a group of females and young. Everyone mates with this male sexually mature females living in a group, and soon after mating they leave the group.
As soon as the young males are two years old, they leave the group and continue to lead a solitary lifestyle, the females remain in the group.
Nosukha brings cubs once a year. Usually there are 2-6 cubs in a litter. Newborns weigh 100-180 grams and are completely dependent on the mother, who leaves the nest for a while to find food. The eyes open at about 11 days. For several weeks, the babies remain in the nest, and then leave it with their mother and join the family group.
Lactation lasts up to four months. Young coats remain with their mother until she begins to prepare for the birth of the next offspring.
Red Lynx- the most common wild cat of the North American continent. In general appearance, this is a typical lynx, but it is almost two times smaller than an ordinary lynx and not so long-legged and broad-legged. Its body length is 60-80 cm, height at the withers is 30-35 cm, weight is 6-11 kg. You can recognize a red lynx by its white
You can meet a red lynx in dense subtropical forests or in desert places among prickly cacti, on high mountain slopes or in swampy lowlands. The presence of a person does not prevent her from appearing on the outskirts of villages or small towns. This predator chooses areas for itself where it is possible to feast on small rodents, nimble squirrels or shy rabbits and even prickly porcupines.
Although the bobcat is a good tree climber, it only climbs trees for food and shelter. It hunts at dusk, only young animals go hunting during the day.Vision and hearing are well developed. Hunts on the ground, sneaking up on prey. With its sharp claws, the lynx holds the victim and kills it with a bite to the base of the skull. In one sitting, an adult animal eats up to 1.4 kg of meat. The remaining surplus hides and returns to them the next day.For rest, the red lynx chooses a new place every day, not lingering in the old one. It can be a crack in the rocks, a cave, a hollow log, a space under a fallen tree, etc. On the ground or snow, the red lynx takes a step about 25 - 35 cm long; the size of an individual footprint is about 4.5 x 4.5 cm. While walking, they place their hind legs exactly in the tracks left by their front paws. Because of this, they never make a very loud noise from the crackling of dry twigs under their feet. The soft cushions on their feet help them to quietly sneak up on the animal on close quarters. Bobcats are good tree climbers and can also swim across small bodies of water, but they only do so on rare occasions.
The red lynx is a territorial animal. The lynx marks the boundaries of the site and its paths with urine and feces. In addition, she leaves marks of her claws on the trees. The male knows that the female is ready to mate by the smell of her urine. A mother with cubs is very aggressive towards any animal and person that threatens her kittens.
In the wild, males and females love to be alone, meeting only during the breeding season. The only time when individuals of different sexes look for meetings is the mating season, which falls at the end of winter - the beginning of spring. The male mates with all the females that are in the same area with him. Pregnancy of the female lasts only 52 days. The cubs are born in the spring, blind and helpless. At this time, the female tolerates the male only near the den. After about a week, the babies open their eyes, but for another eight weeks they stay with their mother and feed on her milk. The mother licks their fur and warms them with her body. The female bobcat is a very caring mother. In case of danger, she takes the kittens to another shelter.
A male bobcat often occupies an area of 100 km2, border areas can be common to several males. The area of the female is half that. Within the territory of one male, 2-3 females usually live. A male red lynx, on whose territory three females with cubs often live, has to get food for 12 kittens.
Among the almost two and a half thousand species of higher plants found in the flora of the Sonoran Desert, the most widely represented are species from the family of Asteraceae, legumes, cereals, buckwheat, euphorbia, cactus and borage. A number of communities characteristic of the main habitats make up the vegetation of the Sonoran Desert.
Vegetation grows on extensive, slightly sloping alluvial fans, the main components of which are groups of creosote bush and ragweed. They also include several types of prickly pear, quinoa, acacia, fukeria, or okotilo.
On the alluvial plains below the alluvial fans, the vegetation cover mainly consists of a sparse forest of mesquite trees. Their roots, penetrating into the depths, reach the groundwater, and the roots located in the surface layer of the soil, within a radius of up to twenty meters from the trunk, can intercept precipitation. An adult mesquite tree reaches a height of eighteen meters, and can be more than a meter wide. In modern times, only the pitiful remnants of the once majestic mesquite forests, long cut down for fuel, remain. The mesquite forest is very similar to the thickets of black saxaul in the Karakum Desert. The composition of the forest, in addition to the mesquite tree, includes clematis and acacia.
By the water, along the banks of the rivers, near the water, poplars are located, to which ash and Mexican elder are mixed. Plants such as acacia, creosote bush and celtis grow in the beds of the arroyo, drying up temporary streams, as well as on the adjacent plains. In the desert of Gran Desierto, near the coast of the Gulf of California, ambrosia and creosote bush predominate on sandy plains, and ephedra and tobosa, ragweed grow on sand dunes.
Trees grow here only on large dry channels. In the mountains, cacti and xerophilic shrubs are mainly developed, but the cover is very rare. Saguaro is quite rare (and completely absent in California) and its distribution here is again limited to channels. Annuals (mainly winter ones) make up almost half of the flora, and in the driest areas up to 90% species composition: they appear in huge numbers only in wet years.
In the Arizona Uplands, northwest of the Sonoran Desert, the vegetation is especially colorful and varied. A denser vegetation cover and a variety of vegetation are due here to more precipitation than in other areas of Sonora, as well as the ruggedness of the relief, a combination of steep slopes of different exposures and hills. A kind of cactus forest, in which the main place is occupied by a giant columnar saguaro cactus, with an undersized encelia shrub located between the cacti, is formed on gravelly soils with a large amount of fine earth. Also among the vegetation there are large barrel-shaped ferocactus, ocotillo, paloverde, several species of prickly pear, acacia, celtis, creosote bush, as well as mesquite tree, in floodplains.
With a peculiar look, such trees and bushes of the Sonoran Desert as an ivory tree, an iron tree and an idriya, or buoyum, growing only in two areas of the Sonoran Desert, located in Mexico, which is part of such a region as Latin America, attract attention.
The Vizcaino area is located in the central third of the California Peninsula. Precipitation is scarce, but the air is cool, as moist sea breezes often bring fog, which weakens the aridity of the climate. Rain falls mainly in winter and averages less than 125 mm. Here in the flora there are some very unusual plants, bizarre landscapes are characteristic: fields of white granite boulders, cliffs of black lavas, etc. interesting plants- bujamy, elephant tree, 30 m high cordon, throttling ficus growing on rocks and blue palm. In contrast to the main Vizcaino Desert, the Vizcaino Coastal Plain is a flat, cool, foggy desert with 0.3 m high shrubs and fields of annuals.
District Magdalena is located south of Vizcaino on the California Peninsula and resembles Vizcaino in appearance, but the flora is slightly different. Most of the meager rainfall occurs in the summer, when the Pacific breeze blows off the sea. The only noticeable plant on the pale Magdalena Plain is the creeping devil cactus (Stenocereus eruca), but away from the coast on the rocky slopes the vegetation is quite dense and consists of trees, shrubs and cacti.
Riverside communities are usually isolated bands or islands of deciduous forests along temporary streams. There are very few permanent or drying streams (the largest is the Colorado River), but there are many where water appears for only a couple of days or even a few hours a year. Dry channels, or "washes", arroyo - "arroyos" are places where many trees and shrubs are concentrated. Xerophilic light forests along dry channels are very variable. Near-pure mesquite forest occurs along some temporary streams, others may be dominated by blue paloverde or ironwood, or forest develops mixed type. The so-called "desert willow" is characteristic, which is actually a catalpa.