Cat family

There are three species in the cat family in Kootenay National Park. Cats are carnivores - very skilled ones! They are adapted for stalking, pursuing and ambushing which makes them very good at capturing prey.

Cougar | Lynx | Bobcat

Cougar

Of the three cats found in Kootenay, the largest is the mountain lion or cougar. Weighing nearly 70 kg, cougars are tawny-brown in colour with black-tipped tales. Although rarely seen, there is a small population in the park.

Lynx

Another member of the cat family that resides in Kootenay National Park is the lynx. Lynx are nocturnal and rarely seen. Grey and brown in colour with tufts of fur on their ears, lynx have distinctively long legs and large feet.

Bobcat

The last member of the cat family in Kootenay National Park is the bobcat. Most likely to be seen in the dry southern end of the park, bobcats are most active at twilight and dawn. Small and short-tailed, they have short dense fur that is usually tan to grayish brown with a reddish tint. They have black streaks on their bodies and large, pointed, black tipped ears.