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The most distinctive features of the lynx are its tufted ears and cheeks and short tail, only 1.5-3 inches long. Sometimes confused with its smaller cousin the bobcat, the lynx may be distinguished by the tip of its tail, which is entirely black. Its coat varies over its European and Asian range, the spotted pattern fluctuating between pronounced and muted. “Lynx” is derived from a Greek work meaning “to shine,” presumably referring to its reflective eyes.
A relatively small feline predator, males may weigh as much as 48 pounds and grow longer than 4 feet. The lynx will hunt prey three or four times its size like reindeer, but its main prey are smaller animals like hares, rodents, small deer, and birds such as grouse. A solitary and nocturnal creature, it stalks its prey alone or lies in wait. One may live as long as 17 years in the wild, 24 years in captivity.
Once common in Europe, it was widely extirpated over much of the range, then reintroduced starting in the 1970s. The largest European populations are now in north Europe and the Balkans, the largest worldwide in southern Siberia. Little is known of the lynx in its wide central Asian range. The IUCN lists the species as Near Threatened, estimating the global population to be less than 50,000 breeding individuals. Like many predators, its decline is linked to loss of habitat and prey base.
Nature picture credits (left to right): Photo © Patrilz Rolander (yowling); Photo © Davina Graham (closeup).
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