“Pic of the Week”. December 5, 2015: Bobcats, Living Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona

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Bobcats are fairly common and I’ve seen them everywhere from Southern California to the Yukon; in fact, they’re the most abundant wildcat in North America, with a wide range.  But they’re shy and rarely pose for photos, so I was glad to see them at the Living Desert Museum in Tucson.

They’re about a meter long and weigh up to 14 kg (30 lbs) — about twice the size of a big house-cat.   Most bobcats are brown or brownish red with a short, black-tipped tail (from which the cat derives its name as the tail appears to be cut or “bobbed”).

They’re great hunters and usually eat small game like rabbits, birds and squirrels.

(Click on thumbnail to enlarge)

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“Pic of the Week”. March 28, 2014: Saguaro National Park, Arizona

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I love visiting the desert around Tucson in the spring!  The weather is lovely, the desert is alive, and you get to enjoy the beautiful saguaro forest.

I find saguaro the most interesting of the many species of cacti; by silhouette alone the saguaro is an iconic symbol of the American Southwest.  Saguaro can grow to a height of 20 meters (70 ft) and live up to several hundred years.  They are native to the Sonoran desert of northern Mexico and southern Arizona.

Saguaro cacti grow “arms”, the first appearing from 75 – 100 years of age.  The arms increase the plant’s reproductive capacity (more tops yield more flowers and fruit — the fruit being edible).  Whenever it rains, saguaros soak up …

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