February is for Love

By: Cholla Rose Nicoll, Borderlands Wildlife Preserve Coordinator

I know it's cliche to write about love in February, but some animals in Arizona find February the perfect time to meet a partner. Both coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) breed in or around February having their pups or kits born in spring. Javelina (Tayassu tajacu) also frequently breed in February to coincide with the birth of their reds during monsoon season. (Baby javelina are called reds due to the red color of their hair.) Breeding season for bobcats (Felis rufus) also occurs in or around February. So, as you can see February is about more than Valentine's Day for our local wildlife, it just happens to be a great month to plan a family for a spring or summer arrival. ​

Gray fox pair drinking water at the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve.

Some fun facts about the animals mentioned above are: 

• Javelina do not clean newborns by licking them like other animals, they roll them around on the ground instead. 
• Bobcat kittens stay with their mother for 7 to 12 months.
• Mated coyotes have been known to remain partners for many years, some studies have even shown coyotes pairs who mate for life only seek out another mate after the death of their current partner. 
• Gray foxes are known to have 3 to 7 kits. 

Image of a bobcat pair captured at night by one of our wildlife trail cameras.

Something I am hoping you will all love this month are these pictures from the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve of what is most likely mated pairs of animals. These rare images give us a glimpse into the survival of the species living within the preserve. Although gray foxes and bobcats are not considered threatened species it is always a special treat to see a picture of them not just surviving, but thriving under the pressures of an ever-changing climate and growing human population. I hope these images bring some warmth to your heart despite your relationship status on Valentine's Day.