Lynx

lynx, (genus Lynx), any of four species of short-tailed cats (family Felidae) found in the forests of Europe, Asia, and North America. The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and the bobcat (L. rufus) live in North America. The Eurasian lynx (L. lynx) and the Iberian lynx (L. pardinus) are their European counterparts. The Iberian lynx is the most endangered feline; as of 2013 possibly fewer than 300 individuals remained in the mountainous scrubland of southern Spain.

Lynx are long-legged, large-pawed cats with tufted ears, hairy soles, and a broad, short head. The coat, which forms a bushy ruff on the neck, is tawny to cream in colour and somewhat mottled with brown and black; the tail tip and ear tufts are black. In winter the fur is dense and soft, with hairs up to 10 cm (4 inches) long, and is sought by humans for trimming garments. Most lynx range in size from about 80 to 120 cm (about 32 to 47 inches) long, without the 10- to 20-cm (4- to 8-inch) tail, and stand about 60 cm (24 inches) tall at the shoulder. Weight typically ranges from 10 to 20 kg (22 to 44 pounds), though Eurasian lynx are often larger. In all species males are larger than females.

population density of the snowshoe hare and the Canada lynx

Nocturnal and silent except during the mating season, lynx live alone or in small groups. They climb and swim well and feed on birds and small mammals. The bobcat and the Eurasian lynx will take larger prey such as deer. The Canada lynx depends heavily on the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) for food, and its population increases and decreases regularly every 9 or 10 years, relative to the population of its prey.

Lynx breed in late winter or early spring, and a litter of one to six young is born after a gestation period of approximately two months. Three species have life spans of at least 13 years in the wild, but most Eurasian lynx rarely live longer than 10–12 years.