Five years before the university opened, UC Merced held a mascot-naming contest for local students where the bobcat (Lynx rufus) won. The mascot is inspired by the native bobcats that roam the region, symbolizing agility, resilience, and strength—qualities that reflect the determination of UC Merced. Over the past decade, there have been two costumed bobcat mascots. The original was named “Boomer” after the university adopted a rescued bobcat cub that was anonymously given to Merced’s Applegate Zoo. The second, "Rufus," was created to match the campus's athletic logo. Rufus first launched in 2011 when UC Merced began competing at the varsity intercollegiate level. Boomer is the primary mascot for the university, but does not replace the athletics Rufus.