The short-tailed cat is a beautiful feline found mainly in southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico in North America. Outwardly, the short-tailed cat and its close relative, the Canadian lynx, which also lives in North America, have many acquaintances, but the two are different species: the Canadian lynx has thicker fur, is larger, has dark and obvious ear hairs on its ears, and has 4 thick and long legs and 4 large paws that are adapted to living in the snow; in comparison, the short-tailed cat is a little smaller, and its limbs are relatively thin.
Pictured: A short-tailed cat runs into the water to catch a large bird.
There are more than 10 subspecies of the short-tailed cat, and different subspecies vary in size, coat color, and habitat. Thirty years ago, wildlife experts in the northeastern U.S. state of New Hampshire (a small area of just 24,000 square kilometers) estimated that there were only about 150 short-tailed cats in the state, almost to the point of extinction. The number of short-tailed cats in the state is so small that it has a lot to do with the hunting of short-tailed cats by humans.
Pictured: The "spoils" of North American hunters, including short-tailed cats, foxes, and raccoons.
In New Hampshire, the hunt for short-tailed cats lasted almost 200 years, and even in 1973, hunters who hunted short-tailed cats received bounties. At the time, short-tailed cats and wild predators such as wolves and foxes were considered "pests" on the grounds that they would eat too many wild animals and poultry and domestic animals.
But recent wildlife experts have found through a new round of investigations that the total number of short-tailed cats in New Hampshire has recovered to nearly 1,500 – about 10 times more than 30 years ago! Compared to other cats, the short-tailed cat population recovers very quickly. So, what is the magic weapon of the short-tailed cat?
Scientists have found that the adaptation of the short-tailed cat to environmental changes in recent decades is the main reason for the recovery of its population. It should be known that the reasons for the extinction or endangerment of some species, in addition to human factors, are also related to natural factors and the characteristics of the species itself. For example, the extinction of some tiger subspecies, in addition to being related to human hunting, is also related to the low reproductive rate of tiger species, the large amount of food, the large size is not easy to hide, and the ability to adapt to the environment is poor.
Pictured: A short-tailed cat hunting a hare.
The short-tailed cat's ability to adapt to the environment is surprising. They are not as dependent on forests in their habitats as the Canadian lynx and on hares for food. Instead, it can survive well in forests, mountains, swamps, plains and other areas, and can also adapt to changes in prey. In the 1950s and 1960s, the New Hampshire short-tailed cat preyed mainly on cottontail rabbits, fawns, grouse, etc. As the environment changes, so does the species and abundance of wildlife in the short-tailed cat habitat. Now, the short-tailed cats living in the state prey mainly on a variety of small mammals and birds, as well as an increasing number of wild turkeys.
Pictured: A short-tailed cat kills a wild turkey that looks much larger than itself.
More interestingly, some short-tailed cats have also learned a unique way of hunting: quietly waiting near the bird feeders that people have placed, waiting for the arrival of the birds that eat the food. For birds, there is not enough food in the wild in winter, so they need human "relief", but these birds have also become an excellent winter food source for short-tailed cats.
It can be seen that the short-tailed cat is a representative of "survival of the fittest". It is precisely because of their ability to adapt to the environment that they have become a feline with a larger wild population and a wider distribution than the Canadian lynx. However, no matter how adaptable an animal is to the environment, if it is hunted by humans with impunity, it will eventually lead to extinction. The 10-fold increase in the number of short-tailed cats in New Hampshire in 30 years is also related to the decline in poaching in the state in recent years.
Pictured: A short-tailed cat caught in the grip of an animal, it shows a frightened look. Poaching seems to be difficult to prohibit absolutely everywhere.