Wild Cats of the West
Come and visit the Museum's two wild cats - Ochoco, a bobcat,
and Snowshoe, a lynx. Both outdoor habitats can be viewed
year-round from the indoors at the Museum's Earle A.
Chiles on the Spirit of the West hallway. 
Click here to adopt Ochoco or Snowshoe!
Bobcat
Natural History:
Bobcats are found throughout the High Desert region. Typical
habitat is rough, shrubby terrain such as that found along rim
rock or in canyons. A carnivore, they feed mostly on rabbits
but occasionally will eat rodents and ground birds. During the
winter months, large male bobcats have been known to hunt
larger mammals such as deer. Bobcats are solitary,
nocturnal animals. They get their name from the short
"bob" tail.
Personal History:
Ochoco is a male bobcat. He was born in captivity in 1991
and came to the museum in 2005. He was confiscated by
USFW because he was being kept illegally. The normal
lifespan for a bobcat is 10-12 years in the wild, with some
living up to 20+ years in captivity.
Lynx
Natural History:
The Canada Lynx is found throughout Alaska, a few
northern states, and Canada, but in the High Desert region,
they are found at higher elevations where they prefer dense
forests (usually lodgepole pine forests), meadows and rocky
outcrops. They are solitary cats feeding mostly on
snowshoe hares which they are so dependent on that when the
hares' population plummets, so does the lynx population.
Canada Lynx, like the bobcat, have a short tail, but the lynx
tail has black that goes all the way around the tip. The
ear tufts on the lynx are also more pronounced than on the
bobcat and they are generally larger in size and have larger
feet for walking in the deep snow found at higher elevations.
Personal History
Snowshoe is a male lynx. He was found by a hiker in
Castle Crags State Park in Northern California in the summer of
2005. The cat was starving at the time and after close
examination it was discovered that his canines and claws had
been removed. He most likely had been a pet that was
turned loose into the wild. Since we do not know much
about his history, we do not know how old or what type of lynx
species he is. Based on his size and appearance, he is
most likely a captive-born hybrid lynx.
None of the animals cared for at the Museum can be released to the wild. Most of them were rescued after being injured. Many of the birds cannot fly due to their injuries. Other animals rely on us just to survive because they never learned how to hunt or avoid predators. When people take young animals from their parents, these animals become “imprinted” on humans and can no longer survive in the wild.
The Museum’s wildlife staff works with our animals daily to build their trust. Our animals’ habitats are designed to give them the space and environment they require. This is all a part of the Museum’s commitment to delivering the highest standard of animal care.
