Adolescent bobcat (Lynx rufus) state wildcat of New Hampshire. Photo by Danny Barron / Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution/no derivative works).
Official State Wildcat of New Hampshire
The bobcat (Lynx rufus) was designated the official state wildcat of New Hampshire in 2015 thanks to promotion by 4th and 5th graders at the Well School in Peterborough NH (guided by teacher Audrey Carrel). New Hampshire also recognizes a state animal. All Mammal Symbols
Nearly exterminated in New Hampshire during the 1970s and 1980s due to hunting and loss of habitat, the elusive bobcat is returning to the state; according to a University of New Hampshire survey, between 800 and 1,200 bobcats now live in the granite state.
The bobcat is also the mascot of the University of New Hampshire and its athletic teams are called "The New Hampshire Wildcats."