HELENA — Montanans know there may be fairly a rivalry between bobcats and grizzlies on the gridiron, and the 2 colleges have huge followers in Champ and Monte. The animals the mascots are based mostly on play completely different however comparable roles within the ecosystem.
Bobcats and grizzly bears have traditionally lived all throughout Montana.
“I think they are absolutely good representatives for the two universities. You know they’ve both incredibly well-adapted to Montana, they serve slightly different roles,” defined Montana Fish,Wildlife and Park Game Management Bureau Chief Brian Wakeling. “And very good at what they do, so you don’t survive unless you’re good at what you do.”
According to FWP, there are an estimated 1,800 to 2,100 grizzlies in Big Sky Country at any given time. Animals are inclined to not pay a lot consideration to borders drawn on maps so the estimates can fluctuate.
Bobcats have a wholesome inhabitants in Montana and loads of the United States. Wakeling says the species is tougher to trace on account of their stealthy nature.
“Bobcats are just what their name sounds like, they’re cats. They’re wild cats and they’re typically between 18 and 35 pounds. Their role is predominately predator,” he defined.
The cats usually make their houses in areas with rocky outcroppings or forested areas.
“They’re an animal that stalks and ambushes their prey and so they’re going to be in places where they’ve got access to that kind of a situation,” Wakeling famous.
They are able to looking animals bigger than themselves like fawns, but it surely turns into a danger evaluation for the cat relying on the dimensions of the animal they’re looking.
Grizzly bears are usually a little bit extra apparent of their consuming habits. While grizzlies are apex predators, he bears have a wider food regimen in contrast to bobcats who just about solely eat meat.
“The thing about it though, is they are not an exclusive carnivore. They eat a lot of grass, forbes, acorns, roots berries so their diet is actually predominately vegetation,” defined Wakeling. “They also eat a lot of insects. So they can make their living off a lot of different things.”
Grizzly bears even have some distinctive traits in comparison with different Montana animals.
“They go through not a true hibernation by the clear definition, but by all intensive purposes does the same thing. Their body temperature drops, their heart rate drops,” Wakeling defined.
To make it by means of the winter months they pack on the kilos main as much as their deep sleep.
“That period of time they call hyperphagia,” Wakeling mentioned. “They are eating a lot. Think a teenage kid times twelve. I mean 30,000 calories a day is not uncommon.”
Bobcats don’t hibernate and stay energetic year-round, though when meals will get scarce in winter they might change into extra daring in what prey the go after.
Conflicts occur between each animal species and people. Predation of livestock and pets is without doubt one of the commonest conflicts.
FWP strongly advises in opposition to confronting both animal within the wild.
“While bobcats are certainly capable of inflicting damage to humans and you certainly don’t want to corner them or create a situation where they feel like they are. The interaction you might have with especially a grizzly bear is very much different… They’ve kind of evolved an attitude of you know if you challenge me we’re going to take care of things right now,” Wakeling defined.
Wakeling strongly encourages individuals to hold bear spray on their hip whereas recreating in bear nation.
