Lynx
Lynx Canadensis
A medium-sized cat characterized by its long ear tufts and short (bobbed) tail with a black tip, the lynx has unusually large paws that act as snow shoes in very deep snow.
Height Around 2 feet
Length 2 ½ - 3 feet
Weight 18-23 lbs (Their thick
fur and long legs make them appear larger than they really are.)
Lifespan 10-15 years
Diet
Staples Snowshoe hares. Lynx are specialized hunters and can survive
only where there are adequate hare populations.
Also known to occasionally
prey on mice, voles, grouse, ptarmigan, and red squirrel.
Population
In the lower 48 states, as few as 700 to 1,200 lynx exist.
Habitat
Lynx have complex needs for habitat. They require a mosaic of forest types, including young trees for hunting snowshoe hares and old-growth trees for their dens.
Range
The lynx historically occupied four geographically distinct areas within the continental United States. These areas included the Northeast, the Great Lakes states, the northern Rocky Mountains/ Cascades and the southern Rocky Mountains. Lynx today are known to occur only in Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Idaho and possibly in Michigan. A recent reintroduction program has reestablished a population in Colorado.
Behavior
Generally solitary animals, lynx usually hunt and travel alone and are slightly more active at night than by day.
Reproduction
Mating Season March to April
Gestation 63-70
days
Litter Size Average of 4 kittens
Kittens stay with their mother for
the first year while they learn to hunt.
Threats
Once hunted and trapped for their fur, the lynx is now protected from all hunting in the U.S., except in Alaska. The greatest threat faced by lynx today is the destruction of their habitat. Because lynx need large areas of undisturbed forest, logging and road building creates barriers and isolates populations. Recreational activities such as skiing and snowmobiling also displace lynx from good habitat.
Legal Status/Protection
The lynx is listed as threatened under the *Endangered Species Act; **CITES, Appendix II
* The Endangered Species Act requires the US federal government to identify
species threatened with extinction, identify habitat they need to survive, and
help protect both. In doing so, the Act works to ensure the basic health
of our natural ecosystems and protect the legacy of conservation we leave to our
children and grandchildren.
**Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty with 172 member countries. Appendix I species cannot be traded commercially. Appendix II
species can be traded commercially only if it does not harm their survival.
How You Can Help
- Help lynx and other wildlife by adopting an animal at our Wildlife Adoption Center.
- Take Action for Wildlife at our Wildlife Action Center.
For additional information
Visit Defenders' Imperiled Species: Lynx pages for more information about what Defenders is doing to help.
