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Say "wild cats," and people picture lions in Africa. They think of tigers in Asia. Other wild cats live closer to home, though. There are three common wild cats right here in North America. They are mountain lions, lynx, and bobcats.

Today, people see these cats more often. That's because people now live in areas that used to be wild.

Mountain lions once roamed all of North and South America. Farmers killed many of them, however. The cats were eating their cows and other livestock. Hunters also killed the mountain lions for sport. By the 1900s, the cats' range was smaller. Very few cats were left in the middle and eastern United States. Now they live mostly in the western United States and Canada. They also live in Central and South America. Luckily, mountain lions do well in many habitats. They can live in hot deserts. They can also live in wet rain forests. All they need is lots of space to hunt.

Mountain lions are strong hunters. Their claws can pull back into their paws. That keeps the claws sharp. A mountain lion needs sharp claws to hunt big animals, such as elk.

The animal eats until it's full. Then it covers the leftovers with leaves or branches. That doesn't always work. A scientist saw a cat place one small twig on its meal. The cat tried to hide the leftovers with the tiny twig!

Like mountain lions, bobcats can live in many habitats. They are found all over the United States. People sometimes spot them in their yards. Bobcats have even been seen in some city parks. Bobcats are not picky about what they eat. They hunt insects, deer, and even bats.

Bobcats look a lot like lynx. That's North America's third common wild cat. Bobcats and lynx both have short tails and fluffy faces. Bobcats are smaller, though. They are just twice the size of a house cat. The big difference between the cats is where they live. Bobcats will live almost anywhere. Not lynx. They live only in cold, snowy places such as Canada and Alaska. Thick coats keep them warm.

Lynx are not just picky about where they live. They are also picky about their food. Lynx like to hunt snowshoe hares. Huge furry paws let lynx run across snow to catch prey.

When the hare population is low, there is trouble for the cats. Scientists have seen lynx go hungry instead of changing what they eat.

Like most cats, this hunter is nocturnal. That means it is active at night. Cats' eyes help them see well in the dark.

How long will the cats be around? It depends on people. You see, humans are changing the cats' habitats. People are building houses where the cats live. It is hard to find enough space for both people and cats.

To protect the wild cats, we need to protect their habitats. One idea is to connect the areas where the cats live. Then they could move from place to place. They would have more room to hunt. Doing so could help these beautiful cats survive.

Article by Dana Jensen and Peter Winkler. Top-of-page photo by Frans Lanting. "Wild Cats" appears on page 18 of the March 2008 issue.