Lynx
Lynx Facts
| Size | Up to 29.5 inch (75 cm) (shoulder height) |
| Speed | 20-30 mph (30-50 km/h) |
| Weight | 13-70 pounds (6-32 kg) |
| Lifespan | 5-12 years |
| Food | Mammals, birds |
| Predators | Wolves, bears, coyotes |
| Distribution | North America, Russia, Asia, Europe |
| Habitat | Forest, tundra, swamp, shrubland, grassland |
| Order | Carnivore |
| Family | Cats |
| Scientific name | Lynx lynx |
| Characteristics | Feline predator with whiskers, short tail and long ear tufts |
Main Characteristics
Lynxes are large feline predators. Their most striking features are their ear tufts, their long lower cheek fur, the large paws and the short tail. They are known for their excellent hearing.
Feline Family
From a scientific point of view, lynxes are categorized as felinae, a subfamily of the cat family, which mainly includes small to medium-sized cats such as cheetahs, cougars, ocelots, servals and fishing cats. However, they are anything but small, as their shoulder height is 29.5 inches (75 cm). They're the largest European wildcats.
Species
There are four species of lynx:
Canada Lynx
The Canada lynx lives exclusively in Canada. It has large, broad paws, long brushes of hair on his ears and thick, gray fur.
Bobcat
The bobcat is found throughout North America. It is the smallest of all. Its hair brushes are rather short and its fur sports a reddish color.
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is found in Europe, Russia and Asia. It is considered the largest species of lynx.
Iberian Lynx
The Iberian lynx lives in Portugal and Spain. Of all species, it is the only one that is endangered.
Life Style
Lynxes are solitary animals that are active at night and at dusk. They spend the day resting and sleeping. When it gets dark, they go hunting for prey.
Distribution
Lynx live exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere, most of them in North America, Russia, Asia and Northern Europe. There are also a few lynxes in Germany. They inhabit the Bavarian Forest, the Harz and the Palatinate Forest. According to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, there were a total of 194 animals in Germany in 2021 (as of October 2024).
Habitat
Lynxes inhabit forests, deserts, tundra regions, wetlands, rocky regions, scrubland and grasslands.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Lynxes have a body length of 28-48 inches (70-120 cm) and a shoulder height of 14-30 inches (35-75 cm). Their tail is only 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) long. Their weight is 13-70 pounds (6-32 kg). They're slightly larger than a German shepherd dog and slightly smaller than a wolf.
Ear Tufts
Lynxes have long brushes of hair on their ears. They work similarly to hearing aids. They can move them in all directions like small antennas. The sounds are directed directly into their ears.
Lower Cheek Fur
The lynx features long, thick fur on its lower cheeks, which it can puff up to appear larger and more voluminous. The exact reason for this behavior remains uncertain, but researchers think it may enhance its ability to detect sounds.
Paws
The lynx has large, fluffy paws that help it navigate through soft snow. As it walks, it spreads its toes, increasing the surface area of its paws and allowing it to move over the snow without sinking much. Its paws are like snowshoes.
Eurasian Lynx or American Bobcat – What’s the Difference?
The American bobcat is the smallest lynx. It has a very short tail and distinctive black stripes on its front legs. Eurasian lynxes are larger, have longer hair brushes, longer legs and larger paws.
Diet
Lynx feed primarily on deer. However, they also hunt other mammals such as mice, marmots, hares, foxes, martens and wild boars. They also eat birds and fish. The Siberian lynx (a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx) is known for hunting prey that is twice as large as itself. If there is a chance, it even kills reindeer.
Behavior
Sounds
Lynxes can't roar. Nevertheless, they have a variety of sounds: they purr, hiss, scream, meow and whine. The sounds they make are quite low in frequency, making it difficult for us humans to hear them clearly.
Are Lynxes Dangerous?
Lynxes avoid people. They're not dangerous and don't usually attack people. It's the other way around. Humans mean a threat to lynxes. They make their habitat becoming smaller and smaller and hunt it for its fur. The Iberian lynx is even considered critically endangered.
Senses and Abilities
Sense of Hearing
The sense of hearing is the most important sense for the lynx. It can hear a mouse 800 feet (250 meters) away.
Sense of Sight
Lynxes have an excellent sense of vision. At night, they can see six times better than humans. Their eyes are perfectly adapted to the darkness.
Swimming
Lynx are adept at swimming and can even cross large rivers.
Climbing
Lynx spend most of their time on the ground because that is where their preferred prey lives. Although they can climb, they rarely do so.
Speed
The lynx isn't a particularly fast predatory cat. It ambushes its prey and sneaks up on it rather than running after it. Its exact speed is unknown. But it is probably around 20-30 mph (30-50 km/h). It is said that it can even run at a speed of 50 mph (80 km/h), but this speed has not yet been scientifically proven.
Life Expectancy
In the wild, lynxes only live 5-12 years. The oldest lynx lived to be over 32 years old. It lived in captivity.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Lynxes have few natural enemies. In Europe, the only significant threats to them are wolves and bears, while in America, cougars and coyotes also present dangers.
Human Impact
The greatest threat comes from humans. Hunters kill lynxes for their fur. Livestock farmers kill them because they're afraid that they will prey on their animals. Due to agriculture and forestry, their living space is becoming smaller and smaller. There are a number of other problems: road traffic, rail traffic, chemical agents used to control rodents, as well as people's leisure activities and encounters with domestic dogs.
How Many Lynxes Are Left?
There are around 50,000 animals left worldwide. At the moment, the lynx isn't considered an endangered species - with the exception of the Iberian lynx. According to a 2023 IUCN estimate, there are 648 adults left (2,000 total).
Importance for the Ecosystem
The lynx is both an apex predator and a so-called “keystone species”. Much like wolves and beavers, they have a major influence on their habitat by keeping the number and diversity of animal species in balance and thereby even helping to shape the flora.
Reproduction
Mating Season and Gestation Period
Depending on the species, lynxes mate between January and April. The gestation period is two to three months.
Breeding and Raising the Young
The cubs open their eyes after 10-14 days, after six weeks they are already eating meat and after around 10-12 weeks they have their final fur color. They stay with their mother until they are about 10 months old. Then they go their own way.
Can Lynxes and Domestic Cats Interbreed?
Theoretically, lynxes and domestic cats can produce offspring, but it is pretty unlikely to occur in the wild.
Lynx as a Pet
Lynxes are beautiful, exotic cats and so the idea of keeping one as a pet is quite appealing. However, they're wild animals. They avoid contact with people and don't form close relationships with us (unlike domestic cats). They can't be tamed and don't make good pets. In Germany, various permits are necessary, and specific regulations must be followed, such as having an outdoor enclosure that measures 12,900 square feet (1,200 square meters). In most states in the USA it is illegal to keep lynxes as pets.
Fun Facts
What Is the Meaning of the Name Lynx?
The term "lynx" originates from the Greek word for "light" or „brightness“. It refers to the eyes of the animal, which are shimmering golden-yellow, yellow-brown or ochre-brown at night.
Pronunciation
Lynx is pronounced „lingks“ (singular) and lynxes „lingks-uhz“ (plural).
The Lynx Is Related To:
- Cheetah
- Cougar
- Ocelot
Animals in the Same Biome:
- Badger
- European Hare
- Marmot
- Marten
- Mouse
- Red Fox
- Red Squirrel
- Roe Deer
- Skunk
- Wild Boar
Sources:
- „Longest-lived lynx species“ (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com)
- „Iberian lynx rebounding thanks to conservation action - IUCN Red List“ (https://iucn.org)
- „Luchsvorkommen in Deutschland im Jahr 2019/2020“ (https://www.bfn.de)
Related Articles:
