Canada Lynx
Canada Lynx
Lynx canadensis
The Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a close relative of the Eurasian Lynx. Some characteristics of the Canada Lynx are quite similar to the Bobcat.
This cat is found in northern forests across almost all of Canada and Alaska. In addition there are large lynx populations in Montana, Idaho and Washington. The Canada Lynx is rare in Utah, Minnesota, and New England. It is considered to be threatened in the United States.
The Canada Lynx has dense silvery brown and may bear blackish markings. In summer, their coat takes on a more reddish brown color. Males are larger than females. The lynx has a furry ruff which resembles a double-pointed beard, a short tail with a black tip and long furry tufts on its ears. Its long legs with broad furred feet aid the lynx in traveling through deep snow.
Lynxes hunt for hares, rodents and birds, sometimes killing larger animals such as deer. They rely mainly on hearing and sight to locate prey. In some areas the Snowshoe Hare is virtually the only prey of the Canada Lynx. The size of the lynx population tends to relate to the growth and decline of the Snowshoe Hare population.
The lynx is a solitary and secretive animal, usually active at night, and requires a large territory. It breeds in spring and one to five kittens are born. The survival of the young depends heavily on the availability of prey species.
These animals are trapped for their fur and have declined in many areas due to habitat loss.
Remember when the Bobcat was our Animal of the Day. . . How is the Canada Lynx different from the Bobcat?
