National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Saguaro National ParkTelegraph Ridge
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Saguaro National Park
Bobcats and Mountain Lions
bobcat

NPS

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)                                Bobcats, also known as wildcats, are much smaller than mountain lions and have shorter tails.  These cats do well around park borders of urban Tucson where food like rabbits and quail are abundant.  Despite their relatively small size, reports have cited bobcats preying on animals as large as adult deer!  Their usual diet consists of small mammals, birds, and carrion.  They are about 2 -4 feet long and weigh from 15 to 29 pounds.

 

 
mountain lion

NPS/ Saguaro National Park

Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)                   The elusive mountain lion is the most powerful predator at Saguaro National Park. It is found in both districts.  They have the ability to kill prey larger than themselves and can leap 20 feet (6.1 m) or more!  Their jaws are so strong that they can bite through the shells of adult desert tortoises, something no other predator in the Sonoran Desert can do. 
Total length: Up to 6 feet (1.5 m) 
Weight: 75- 145 lbs (34 to 66 kg) 
Diet: Deer, javelina, jack rabbits, squirrels

Javelina  

Did You Know?
Javelinas are able to eat spiny prickly pear pads with no obvious harm to their mouths, stomachs or intestinal tracts. Javelinas are not true pigs, they are peccaries, which are native to the Americas.

Last Updated: November 03, 2008 at 12:23 EST