In ancient times, the lynx was endowed with magical abilities, people believed that this unusual beast could see through objects and walls. In ancient Greek and Scandinavian mythology, the lynx was considered a sacred animal, which everywhere accompanies the goddess of love, beauty and fertility - Freya.

Astrologers also believe in the magical properties of this feline representative. When studying the various constellations, you can find a lot of interesting information about a small, but very beautiful, which is called the Lynx constellation.

But there is also information that this wild cat was not only worshiped, but also hunted, killing and eating its meat. The taste qualities of the meat of this animal have always been famous for its medicinal properties. Fur has been very popular in past centuries, and today it has fur. It produces expensive fur coats.

Due to all hunting manipulations, it was completely exterminated in some European countries, and in the rest of the world the population was reduced so much that the animal was on the verge of extinction. Scientists are trying to artificially recreate the population where the lynx lives, but so far this is going at a very slow pace.

Habitat

This predator belongs to the cat family and the lynx genus. This animal is not afraid of cold harsh winters, moves well through snowdrifts and does not fall through like other animals. He lives, as a rule, in the taiga, forest steppes, tundra, mountainous areas and dense coniferous forests.

Over the years, the distribution area of ​​wild cats has become much smaller. Previously, the animal lived in most of Europe, now it is found in the Carpathians, central Russia, Kamchatka and Sakhalin. But also the lynx lives in Finland, Spain, Croatia. Sometimes you can meet an animal in the countries of the former Soviet space. The lynx loves open space and adapts well in the wild, hunting smaller wild animals.

Lynx: description

Body length of an adult animal about seventy - one hundred and thirty centimeters, females are usually slightly smaller than males. The weight of the cat is about twenty kilograms. The common lynx has a rounded head, with beautiful ears and tufts of hair at their tips.

Those who are interested in these feline representatives, first of all, want to know such things as:

  • Where does the lynx live?
  • How is the European lynx different from other species;
  • Description of the common lynx and much more.

Subspecies

The classification of the common lynx is occasionally updated with new subspecies. In our time, ten subspecies are known for certain. Animals have a small amount differences from each other, they have a similar lifestyle, behavior and taste preferences.

Food

This kind of predator Like everyone else, they eat mostly meat. The basis of the animal's diet is hares, birds, small rodents. But also a lynx can hunt larger individuals - deer, elk, wild boars. If a cat lives in places where there are large bodies of water, it can get fish and eat it. She can hunt domestic animals if she lives near human habitation.

Usually the lynx goes hunting early in the morning, between three and six o'clock, while it is still just dawn. She usually tracks down her future victim for a long time, studying habits and character, and only after that she attacks. She does it as it is right sharply, making several long jumps of two to three meters each. . If the lynx fails to catch the prey immediately, then chasing her for several hundred meters, she, as a rule, retreats and waits for another opportune moment.

In order to lead a normal life, an animal needs to eat from one to three kilograms of meat per day. If it does not eat its prey, then, as a rule, it buries it in the ground or hides it in the snow. Sometimes following a lynx other predators walk and pick up half-eaten leftovers.

As a rule, this cat prefers to live in one place all the time and has a sedentary lifestyle. Only in very rare cases, she moves to another area. This usually happens if there is a threat of extinction of prey and the lynx begins to starve.

reproduction

Typically, the mating season for a lynx begins at the end of winter - in February, and lasts until early April. At this time, the males find out which of them will be the partner of the female they have chosen.

female pregnancy lasts from one and a half to two months. As a rule, females arrange a den, they organize it a few hours before the offspring appear. As a home, animals choose hollow trees located at a height of at least ten to fifteen meters from the ground or splits in the rocks.

In April or early May, babies appear, in a brood, as a rule, there are from two to three, in some cases up to five. Newborn kittens are small, blind and helpless. They are born weighing no more than three hundred grams, but after that they quickly gain weight.

Lynx live in the wild usually fifteen to twenty years old. If they are in captivity, the life span can increase to twenty-five to thirty years.

The most “northern” cat, contrary to popular belief, does not attack its prey by jumping from a tree, but hunts by carefully sneaking up on it.

Systematics

Russian name - lynx
English name - Northern lynx
Latin name - Felis (Lynx) lynx
Squad - predatory (Carnivora)
Family - cats (Felidae)
Genus - cats (Felis)

The status of the species in nature

In many European countries, the lynx has become a very rare animal. Despite protection, some of its geographical races are endangered. The species is listed in the IUCN Red List. On the territory of Russia, especially in Siberia, the lynx is still quite common.

View and person

Once upon a time, the lynx lived on a much larger territory than at present. Hunting and deforestation have led to a significant reduction in its range. The lynx has long been a desirable hunting trophy, as the fur of this animal is highly valued in the fur market. In some areas, lynx meat is considered a delicacy. Today, the lynx is treated differently. In Europe, the lynx was very widespread, then practically disappeared. 20 years ago, this predator began to settle in the places where he once lived, catching on the territories of other states, and releasing in the least populated areas. On the territory of Russia, this animal remains quite numerous, and in some places where the lynx is common, it can cause some harm to hunting farms specializing in breeding deer, roe deer, or pheasants. In general, like other predators, the lynx plays an important breeding role in the wild.

This cat is not afraid of neighbors with a person, where it is not pursued, it can appear on the outskirts of villages and even cities.

Little lynxes are easily tamed, but they become wild with age, so you can’t keep this rather large cat at home.




Distribution and habitats

The lynx is the most "northern" cat. The area of ​​distribution of the common lynx covers the forest and mountainous regions of Europe, Siberia, Central and, partly, Asia Minor. This is a forest animal that prefers dense dark coniferous taiga, although it is also found in mixed forests. Due to the destruction of forests on the plains, the southern border of the range has shifted 200–300 km to the north over the past few centuries.

Appearance and morphology

Lynxes are peculiar, unlike any other representatives of the cat family. Almost all cats have an elongated body, short legs; the lynx, on the other hand, has a relatively short body and high, strong legs. Thick wool on shaggy thick paws grows even between the toe pads. The body length of the lynx is 82–105 cm, the tail is 20–31 cm, the weight is 8–15, rarely up to 20 kg. Males are somewhat larger than females. A head with elongated hair on the sides of the muzzle, forming "whiskers", on the tops of the ears there are characteristic tassels. The tail is short, at the end, as if chopped off. The wool is very thick, soft, especially in winter. The coloration of the upper body and head is dominated by reddish and ashy tones, the bottom is white, small spots are scattered all over the body. Summer fur is shorter and coarser than winter fur, more intensely colored, with more clearly defined spots. The tail is always with a dark tip, the tassels on the ears are also dark. In northern lynxes, the color is more uniform and dull; in lynxes living in the south, on the contrary, the color is bright, with pronounced spotting.

Of the sense organs, the lynx has the best developed vision and hearing. The lynx is able to distinguish colors and their degree of brightness. This predator hears a hare gnawing a twig for 100 meters. The sense of smell is weak, but a lynx can find its prey on a fresh trail.

Lifestyle and social behavior

The lynx is a territorial animal. Wide migrations are unusual for her: where there is a lot of prey, this beast lives quite settled. The average territory of a lynx in Europe ranges from 15,000 to 25,000 hectares, with some males reaching 30,000 or more hectares. The areas of females are smaller and overlap with those of males. In the event of a lack of food, lynxes leave their homes, embark on wanderings and may even appear far in the forest-steppe. Most often, such migrations of predators occur during periods of depression in the number of mountain hares, which form the basis of the diet of lynxes.

Within the area, each animal has several favorite routes, places of rest and hunting, where it appears most often. Connected by a system of constantly used crossings, these places, like the boundaries of the site, are marked with urine, with which the lynx sprays tree trunks.

The dwellings of the lynx are located in the most secluded places: deaf areas of the forest with windbreak, overgrown islands among the swamps. The lair itself is arranged under the roots of fallen trees, sometimes in a low-lying large hollow, in the voids between the stones. For temporary haunts, the predator chooses places with a good view: an inclined tree trunk, a large stone.

During the transitions, the animal moves with a measured step 40–50 cm long, while running it easily overcomes obstacles. The height of the snow cover up to 50 cm does not interfere with the movement of the lynx, but when there is more snow, the predator begins to use the paths of other animals, old ski tracks, roads, ice on the rivers. On winter routes, the lynx brood follows its mother in single file, as if stepping footprints.

Feeding and feeding behavior

Like all cats, the lynx is a specialized predator. The basis of its nutrition is made up of medium-sized animals: small ungulates (roe deer, musk deer, goral, deer and their cubs), hares and black grouse (capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse). The lynx regularly catches small rodents and birds. Before falling, this cat is a small hunter, she prefers the meat of animals killed by herself.

Contrary to popular belief, the lynx never jumps on its prey from a tree, although it climbs trees superbly. This beast prefers to silently, with extraordinary caution, sneak up on her, and then attack with large jumps. Less often, he patiently watches for potential prey in an ambush near the trail.

The lynx eats quite a bit - its daily norm is about one and a half kilograms of meat with bones. Usually an adult animal catches and eats a hare every 2-4 days, the brood of such an amount of food is enough for only one day. A lynx stays near a killed roe deer for about a week, and near a sika deer - even longer. The predator digs up the half-eaten remains of prey with snow or earth and grass, but does it so carelessly that smaller predators - sable, Siberian weasels - very quickly take away its “burial site”. For a lynx, as for a more successful getter, the wolverine goes and sometimes drives it away from freshly caught game. The lynx itself often drives foxes, not allowing them to hunt on their site.

Activity

The lynx hunts at dusk, only young animals go hunting during the day. During the mating season, animals can be active around the clock.

Vocalization

Reproduction and rearing of offspring

The rutting period for lynxes is in February-March. A female in estrus may be followed by several males, between whom fierce fights occur from time to time. The lair in which the kittens should appear is usually lined with bird feathers, the hair of ungulates, dry grass is added to this. Pregnancy lasts 63–70 days. Newborns (usually 2-3) appear from late April to early June, depending on the geographical latitude of the area. The weight of kittens at birth is 250-300 grams, they are blind, the auditory openings are covered with skin. All worries about the offspring fall entirely on the female, the male does not take part in raising the cubs. The mother licks the kittens, keeps the nest clean, removes large predators from the nest. For the first two months, lynxes feed almost exclusively on milk. By this age, they have completed the formation of milk teeth, and they begin to pick at the meat brought by their mother, but milk feeding continues for several more months. At the age of 3 months, kittens leave the den and follow their mother everywhere.

The general tone of the color of the young is light brown, spotting is expressed only on the paws. An “adult” fur pattern develops only by the age of nine months, “tanks” and tassels on the ears fully develop only in one and a half year old lynxes. The family is preserved until the next rut, and the kittens continue to stay in one group even after the adults, ready for mating, drive them away. If the female does not give birth to cubs in the current year, the entire previous brood lives with her for several more months. Lynxes become sexually mature at 1.5–2 years.

Lifespan

There are cases when lynxes lived for more than 20 years, in nature life expectancy is less: 10–15 years.

Keeping animals in the Moscow Zoo

Lynxes have been kept in the Moscow Zoo since its foundation. These long-legged beauties invariably attract the attention of visitors, walking in their enclosures, which are located in the Old Territory in the Cat's Row next to the Giraffe Pavilion. True, seeing a lynx is not as easy a task as it seems. Our cats go to the promenade, and a couple of lynxes now live in the zoo, they come out in the late afternoon, in the early twilight. The animals prefer to spend the first half of the day in shelters - niches - and on balconies, each in their own enclosure. There, comfortably curled up on hay mats, they sleep peacefully, only occasionally opening their eyes and lazily looking around the property. What interests them? Someone might think that the visitors, and be mistaken. Even to the keepers, who clean the enclosure every day and bring food, our lynxes are more than cool. They recognize, but they are in no hurry to express warm feelings. With much greater pleasure, cats watch the noisy sparrows entering the cage in the hope of profiting for nothing. Feathered guests are at mortal risk, because this big cat hunts them with pleasure and very cleverly. So that our pets do not get bored, employees from time to time put various toys in the aviary. As for domestic cats, only larger in size. However, our female plays best with ... ordinary pumpkins! Enjoys chewing them into small pieces. The male treats most of the proposed entertainment with coolness. Some time ago keepers started training with our lynxes according to a special method. From the outside, it looks like a game - a person, standing next to the aviary, offers his ward an object fixed on a long stick - target (from the English target - goal, target). In our case, it was a rubber ball. The animal had to easily touch the ball with a certain part of the body, for which he received a reward. Then the same target was presented already in the interior. The animal had to repeat its actions by going inside for this. The purpose of these classes was not to train the cat, but to make it easier for the keepers to work with it, for whom it becomes much easier to explain to the animal what actions are required of it.

Lynxes gave birth to kittens in 2017

Lynx (lat. Lynx) is a genus of carnivorous mammals of the cat family, closest to the genus of cats (Felis).

It includes several medium-sized cats:

  • lynx
  • Canadian lynx. Some sources consider it a subspecies of the common lynx.
  • Pyrenean lynx. It is found in the south-west of Spain (most of it is in the Coto Doñana National Park). One of the rarest species of mammals.
  • Red Lynx

Sometimes the genus Lynx also includes the caracal (Caracal caracal) and the marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata).

The lynx is a typical cat, although the size of a large dog, which it somewhat resembles with its shortened body and long legs. The head of a lynx is very characteristic: relatively small, rounded and very expressive. They differ from other feline lynxes in their short tail and tassels at the ends of their ears.

Full description of the animal

The lynx is a relatively small member of its family. The body length of an adult male is 76-130 cm, females are several centimeters shorter, about 73-124 cm. The weight of a lynx is 18-25 kg, sometimes very large specimens weighing 30 kg are also found. The body is short and tightly knitted. A small, rounded head with oblong ears and characteristic tassels at the end. The muzzle of the lynx is short with wide eyes, on the cheeks there is an oblong hair similar to sideburns. At the end of the body there is a short tail with a blunt end 20-35 cm long. The fur of the lynx is very thick and soft, has a dense undercoat. The longest hair on the belly, but not very dense. Lynx molt occurs twice a year in spring and autumn. The coat that has changed in autumn is more fluffy and dense. Summer pile is short, dense and not as thick with a more contrasting color than winter.

The color of lynxes is quite different, it all depends on their habitats, and the species to which they belong. Most often there are lynxes with a reddish-grayish or grayish-brown tint with pronounced large dark spots on the back and sides. Smaller spots cover the legs and chest of the animal.

The hind legs of a lynx differ in structure from the paws of other cats, they are longer than the front ones. There are 4 fingers on the hind legs of the lynx, and 5 on the front. In winter, the soles of the paws are covered with especially thick fur, which allows the lynx to easily move through the snow and not fall into snowdrifts. When a lynx takes a step, its hind legs follow the tracks of its front legs. The tracks of a lynx resemble those of a cat with large paws.

Where does the lynx live?

Lynxes live in the forests of Eurasia and North America. Sometimes this beast is found even beyond the Arctic Circle.

Once the lynx inhabited almost the entire territory of Western and Central Europe. But due to the popularity of lynx fur in the world market and deforestation, already in the middle of the 20th century, the lynx was exterminated in many European countries.

Now the lynx lives on the territory of such countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Georgia, Estonia, Lithuania, Albania, Greece, Azerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia. In some of these countries, she was re-populated.

On the American continent, the lynx settled from southern Canada to Mexico. The largest population lives in the southeastern United States.

Relatively recently, lynxes settled in Kamchatka, around the beginning of the 20th century. Favorite habitats of Eurasian lynxes are taiga, mountain, coniferous and funny forests. Although lynxes are sometimes found in the forest-tundra and other areas with low vegetation, such as shrubs or reeds. Most often, he still chooses dense forests or thickets of young growth for living, where it is easy to arrange his lair.

What does the common lynx eat?

The main food of the lynx are hares, roe deer, rodents, and various birds.

For unknown reasons, he has a terrible dislike for foxes. She does not eat them for food, but does not miss the opportunity to kill them.

In the snowy season, the animal can also attack larger animals. Thanks to long legs and fur-covered paw pads, the cat can move through the snow without difficulty.

In search of prey, the common lynx comes out with the onset of night. There is an opinion that she attacks prey from a tree, but this is not so. The predator prefers to wait patiently or sneak up with careful steps and attack sharply.

The animal tries to avoid people. It hears their approach for several kilometers and tries not to catch their eye. When hard times come and the lynx does not have enough food in the forest, it can go to the nearest settlements to profit from a cat or dog. This predator can overcome an adult shepherd dog. But the cases when they appear among people are very rare, they can mainly be found in dense coniferous forests.

Reproduction and offspring

The common lynx is a solitary predator. The rut of lynxes begins in March. During this period, predators emit very characteristic loud cries, as well as purr or meow loudly. At the stage of the rut, each female is accompanied by several males, fiercely fighting with each other. Educated married couples perform a kind of welcome ritual, and affection finds expression in licking each other's fur.

It is interesting! The gestation period of the female varies between 64-70 days. One brood usually consists of a couple of kittens, but sometimes their number can reach five. The lynx cubs that were born are blind and deaf, so the female hides them for the first time in a den, which is located under the roots of fallen trees, in deep pits or earthen caves. Also, some females sometimes arrange a den in low-lying hollows or in large rocky crevices.

The average weight of a newborn kitten, as a rule, does not exceed 250-300 grams. The eyes of a small lynx open only on the twelfth day. Up to about a month, the female feeds her cubs exclusively with milk, after which a gradual feeding with solid protein food begins. The upbringing of kittens is carried out by both parents, who not only protect their offspring, but also teach them to get their own food and hide from enemies. Sexual maturity in females occurs closer to two years, and in males a few months later.

Population and species status

To date, the presence of several dozen individuals has been observed on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula, and in Germany, Switzerland and France, mass extermination has required the re-population of the common lynx.

The largest lynx population is found in the Carpathians and Poland. A fairly large number of individuals are found in Belarus, Scandinavia, Central Asia, Latvia and Estonia. On the territory of our country, you can most often find an ordinary lynx in Siberia.

In the commercial sense, the common lynx is not in great demand - only the fur of this predatory animal is used. It is distinguished by its density, silkiness and sufficient height, as well as the presence of soft underfur. The average length of the guard hair in an adult is approximately 60-70 mm. But along with many other predators, lynxes play a very important role in the natural biocenosis.

Despite the fact that the taste characteristics of lynx meat are very high - it looks like veal, has a delicate texture, according to long-established traditions, in some countries it is not customary to use it for food purposes.

It is interesting! In ancient Russia, rich nobles were treated to lynx meat, and dishes from such meat were served on the table of boyars and princes as an expensive delicacy.

Even in the last century, on the territory of European countries, the total number of the common lynx quite sharply and greatly decreased to only a few hundred individuals. The destruction of forest zones, poaching and the reduction in the total food supply had a negative impact on the total number of predatory animals. To date, various measures are being taken to not only preserve, but also increase the number of this incredibly beautiful predator.

Population status and protection

Lynx population status in different countries:

  • Balkan Peninsula: Several dozen lynxes in Serbia, Macedonia, Albania and Greece.
  • Germany: Exterminated by 1850 In the 1990s repopulated in the Bavarian Forest and the Harz.
  • Carpathians: 2200 lynx from the Czech Republic to Romania; the largest population besides the Russian one.
  • Poland: About 1000 individuals in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and Tatra Mountains.
  • Belarus: up to 400 individuals, found throughout the country, but mainly in the Vitebsk region and Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
  • Russia: 90% of the lynx population lives in Siberia, although lynxes are found from the western borders of the Russian Federation to Sakhalin.
  • Scandinavia: ok. 2500 lynxes in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
  • France: Exterminated c. 1900 Settled in the Vosges and Pyrenees.
  • Switzerland: Exterminated by 1915, repopulated in 1971. From here they migrated to Austria and Slovenia.
  • Central Asia: China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
  • Transcaucasia: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia.
  • Latvia: about 700 individuals in the Kurzeme and Vidzeme parts of the country.
  • Estonia: According to 2008 data, between 500 and 1000 lynxes can live in the country.

Only in hunting farms where roe deer, spotted deer, pheasants are bred, its presence is undesirable.

Lynx fur has always been highly valued. Starting from the 1950s, its prices on the international market began to increase at an unprecedented rate. So, at the Leningrad fur auction in 1958, the best lynx skins were received at 73 dollars, in 1973 - 660 dollars, and in 1977 - 1300 dollars. This is explained by the fashion that has been preserved for decades (a very rare fact in itself) for long-haired furs, among which lynx fur took the first place.

It should be noted that people who keep ordinary wild lynxes in captivity note their unpretentiousness and good adaptability. If the lynx did not have such a strong predatory beginning, it would be a very convenient pet. But an ordinary lynx can only be kept in an aviary in compliance with all the rules for dealing with a predator. But the domestic lynx was bred to live in the house, like a cat. And yet, although a cage is not required for her (no, it’s not like that - a cage won’t work at all, but you can keep a pet in a spacious aviary), in any case, this big cat needs some kind of its own corner, its own territory. It's great if there is some kind of tree, in extreme cases - shelves on which you can climb and jump. This is important, because by nature the lynx is given developed muscles and high motor activity, which must find a way out. A sharpener for claws will also not be superfluous, otherwise the furniture in the house would cry. Well, and the tray, of course - you have to be patient and accustom the kitten to it.

Domestic lynx is subject to the same misfortune as ordinary cats - it swallows hair when licked and can choke on it. Therefore, it is highly recommended to periodically comb out the cat and generally care for its coat. Medicines for cleaning the intestines, in which wool can accumulate, will not be superfluous.

Subject to these rules of keeping, a domestic lynx can be a cozy and interesting pet, intelligent and trainable. However, it is still not advised to have this animal in families with small children. After all, predatory instincts, albeit somewhere very deep, still sleep in this graceful and calm-looking beast, and who knows what can happen if they are awakened.

What to feed the lynx?

You need to feed the lynx properly. A large individual eats four hundred grams of raw meat at a time. And you need to feed your spotted pet twice a day. In addition to meat, the lynx is happy to eat both dry food and canned fish. But it is necessary to accustom a predator to canned food gradually. In addition, it is necessary to add various vitamins, as well as minerals and calcium to food. The diet of this pet should be very balanced and nutritious, while the presence of coarse components (bones, veins, etc.) is mandatory, providing a regular load on the jaw muscles.

How does a lynx get along with children?

Lynx is very good with children. And besides, she can become a real nanny for the baby. The most interesting thing is that children can pull their whiskers and tail. In response, the lynx will endure all the "bullying of the little master." But for adults, he does not forgive insults. Therefore, he cannot be beaten. Since the lynx will take revenge for these blows for a very long time and cruelly.

A young male must be castrated, otherwise the apartment will have a very specific smell. And finding a mate for your pet will be almost impossible. Do you know what happens to the character of your cat after castration.

In general, keeping a predator at home is very difficult. First, it's a big creature. And secondly, very often this pet has hunting instincts. And then there will be problems for all living beings in the district.

Purchase and price of a domestic lynx

Although such an unusual pet at home is a rather infrequent phenomenon, it will not be difficult to buy it, although the pricing policy can be a little scary. The average cost of such an animal varies from 40,000 to 100,000 rubles.

  1. Lynxes do not really like foxes and try to destroy them at the first opportunity. This is due to the fact that foxes are very cunning and love to encroach on someone else's prey. When a lynx sees a fox nearby, it leaves its prey and waits for the fox to approach it, then attacks it, but does not eat, but simply leaves it in place;
  2. The lynx has very sharp eyesight, and as one version says, even the coat of arms of Finland depicts a lynx, not a lion;
  3. Thanks to its tassels on the ears, the lynx has incredible hearing, it can hear the steps of a person for several kilometers, so it is very difficult to catch a lynx;
  4. The ancient Greeks believed that the lynx could see through objects;
  5. An interesting fact is that if you cut off the tassels on the ears of a lynx, then the sharpness of its hearing will decrease significantly;
  6. Only one species of lynx is listed in the Red Book - the Pyrenean lynx due to the fact that its fur is very beautiful and soft, people chasing expensive prey actively exterminated them for a long time;
  7. During the movement, the lynx puts the hind leg in the footprint of the front one, just like wolves and tigers do;
  8. Before forming a pair, lynxes intensively beat their foreheads to the point that the crunch of their bones is heard;
  9. Lynxes never attack from above, hiding on the branches of trees or on the slopes of rocks, they track down their prey or rest;
  10. The maximum weight of an adult male lynx sometimes reaches 30 kg, and average females weigh only about 18 kg;
  11. The female lynx bears offspring for about 70 days, usually gives birth to 2-3 kittens;
  12. Lynx kittens begin to see only 13-14 days after birth;
  13. For a day, a lynx needs to eat about 2 kg of meat;
  14. Lynxes prefer to eat voles;
  15. A lynx mother has the ability to choose physical traits for her kittens from different fathers while still pregnant;
  16. Hevelius discovered a constellation called the Lynx;
  17. The jump of a cat can reach 4m in length;

If in February - March you suddenly hear a loud purr, meow or purr in the forest, then most likely there is a lynx somewhere nearby. This animal is the largest representative of the cats inhabiting the forests of Europe. This predator will be discussed in this article.
On the European continent, including Russia, a species of common lynx lives. It is also called Eurasian or European.

Body length can reach 125 cm, height - no more than 75 cm. Weight of adult animals - from 18 to 26 kg. Females are smaller than males. The tail is short, but fluffy - no more than 25 cm.

Lynx fur is very warm and thick, especially in winter. Its skin is highly valued and is not inferior in quality to the fur of fur-bearing animals. The color of the coat may vary depending on the region of habitat. There are lynxes with an unusually beautiful smoky color with dark spots to brownish-red. The skin on the belly is thick and white.

Paws are strong and large. From the outside, they appear thick because of the thick coat. The claws are long and sharp.

A special decoration of any lynx are tassels on the ears, see photo:

However, these black brushes are not meant for beauty. With their help, the predator picks up the slightest sounds, which helps him in hunting. In addition to keen hearing, the lynx boasts a good sense of smell and sharp eyesight.

The muzzle of this animal is generally similar to the muzzle of an ordinary domestic cat.

habitats

The European lynx is currently very small in number, moreover, it leads a secretive lifestyle. For this reason, it is not so easy to see it in the wild. The task for the hunter to find this cat is further complicated by the fact that it lives in such fortresses, where it is very difficult to get. Old cluttered windbreaks, dark taiga forests with very dense undergrowth, dominated by coniferous trees - pines and spruces - these are its typical habitats.

Video

Although it can also be found in young forests. He tries to avoid the person. She feels the approach of people several hundred meters away and tries to silently leave, periodically stopping and listening. Although in famine years, the lynx enters the cities in search of food. May attack cats and dogs. This predator is so strong that it can kill an adult shepherd dog.

But cases of the appearance of lynxes in settlements are relatively rare. Her element is a dark coniferous forest.

Lynx life in the forest

Like many predators, it leads a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle. It comes out to search for prey as soon as it starts to get dark. An ordinary lynx hunts mainly for hares. If possible, it also attacks ungulates - roe deer, musk deer, red deer, young boars. Can catch a squirrel, a marten. He loves the meat of hazel grouse, black grouse, capercaillie. In winter, you can catch them on the holes.

It is also known that the lynx has a fierce hatred for foxes ... and kills them at the first opportunity. However, it does not eat. Why this cat has such a dislike for Patrikeevna, one can only guess.

The lynx is a born hunter. Even predators such as leopards and wolves can envy her hunting qualities.

When evening falls and darkness falls, silence falls in the forest. It would seem that all the animals fell asleep - nothing is heard around! But at this time the lynx goes hunting. Here she hears a barely perceptible sound - a hare gnaws at a bitter branch of aspen.

Sensing the prey, the lynx carefully, without too much noise, makes its way through thickets and bushes. Having got up to a convenient distance for an attack (10-20 meters), she prepares for decisive jumps. The unsuspecting hare still gnaws at the aspen bark. Our spotted predator makes a powerful jerk and overtakes the victim in 2-3 jumps. Suddenly, the hare is in the paws of a lynx. If the eared one sensed a threat in time, then he immediately rushes to the leak. The lynx follows him for 50-100 meters, then runs out of steam and stops.

In addition to hunting by stealth, she can also ambush prey. This predator can lie in wait for the prey near the hare paths, at the watering place for ungulates. It does not jump from a tree to its prey, although it can simply lie on a branch and rest, lowering all 4 paws down.

One bunny is enough for her for 2 days. Roe deer - almost a week. A large victim, which cannot be eaten immediately, is buried in the ground (in summer) or sprinkled with snow (in winter), while she herself is nearby.

Leads a sedentary lifestyle. Although in search of food it can travel more than 30 km per day. By nature, lynxes are loners. But females with cubs live together for several months. During this time, the mother teaches them hunting skills. First, she brings them live animals - mice, hares, etc., with which they play. Then the lynxes go hunting with her. In February, the female drives away the kittens, which by this time have grown up and are ready for independent life in the taiga.

In adults, the rut begins in the last winter month. During this period, several males walk on the heels of the female. Fights occur between males, which are accompanied by screams, loud meowing and hissing.

Pregnancy lasts 60-70 days. One female brings an average of 2-4 blind kittens, which open their eyes in the second week of life. They feed on milk from 4 to 6 months, but already at the age of 30-40 days they switch to animal food. Lynx cubs grow very quickly - by autumn they cannot be distinguished from their mother in size.

In Europe and in the Siberian taiga, their main enemies of the lynx are wolves, who try to catch and strangle it at every opportunity. She often escapes from danger in trees - thanks to her sharp claws and strong paws, she climbs them very well. She is also very good at swimming.

The life expectancy of a lynx in the forest is about 15 years. In captivity - up to 25 years.

In the last century in European countries, the number of common lynx has declined sharply. Only a few hundred individuals remain on the entire continent. Currently, thanks to timely measures taken to protect the population has increased significantly.
The number of this animal is negatively affected by deforestation (cutting out) of forests, forest fires, reduction of their food supply and poaching.

Photo of a lynx in the forest

Lynx ( Lynx) is a genus of animals of the subfamily Small cats, the Feline family, the order Predatory, the class Mammals. The article describes representatives of this genus.

Two other cats, in the name of which there is the word "lynx": caracal (steppe lynx) and reed cat (marsh lynx) do not belong to the lynx genus.

What does the word "lynx" mean?

In languages ​​related to Russian, words close to lynx have the meaning "red", "red". It would seem that the etymology is simple - the name of the beast is given by the red color of the skin. In fact, the common Slavic root rysь goes back to the Indo-European leuk’- “shine”, “burn” (can be compared with the Russian moon, beam). From these roots arose such words as fair-haired, bald (the older meaning, apparently, was “light”, “glowing”, “glossy”). So it turns out that the lynx was so named because its eyes shone, "burned" in the dark. And the red color gave only the initial "p" - already by association with the color.

The lynx has well-developed hearing and vision, but the sense of smell is weak. The tassels on their ears are sound pickup sensors. If the lynx is deprived of this hair, then it will hear much worse.

Approaching the place of lying, the lynx jumps so that its traces are not near the shelter: in this way it imitates its absence. During the day she dozes, but her rest is sensitive, as the predator notices any movements around her.

A wild cat leads a solitary life, carefully monitoring the absence of competitors in the chosen territory.

Females keep with a brood. Only during the breeding season are lynxes found in pairs.

What does a lynx eat?

The prey of a lynx can be any animal that it is able to master:

  • small mammals (chipmunks, hares, rabbits, squirrels, domestic cats, sables, dormice, ground squirrels, raccoon dogs, marmots, beavers, badgers, mice, rats);
  • birds (grouse, duck, hazel grouse, partridge, black grouse, bustard, turkey, pheasant);
  • large animals: roe deer, chamois, musk deer, wild boar, argali, fallow deer, elk, spotted and reindeer;
  • occasionally a lynx attacks herds of goats and sheep, destroying several individuals at a time;
  • foxes, dogs and martens she kills as competitors, and not for food;
  • the Canada lynx also eats fish, porcupines, marmots, martens, squirrels, ground squirrels;
  • the bobcat can also eat snakes;
  • sometimes predators attack small domestic animals and poultry (for example, chickens).

Taken from: www.lynxexsitu.es, CC BY 3.0 es

With the onset of night, the animal goes hunting. The lynx either waits for prey in ambush, or hides it (that is, it gets as close as possible to the victim in order to overtake it in one jump), but never attacks from a tree. She moves slowly, periodically stopping and listening.

Whenever possible, she follows the well-trodden path, following her old footprints, especially in winter. Sneaks up to prey from the leeward side. The attack begins with one, less often with 3-10 jumps. If the attack is not successful, she will repeat a series of jumps at a short distance, and then stop the pursuit. During the day, the lynx eats 2-3 kg of meat, and if it is very hungry, then up to 5 kg.

Taken from: www.lynxexsitu.es, CC BY 3.0 es

Lynx species, names and photos

The lynx genus includes 4 living species. Below is the classification.

Rod Lynx (lat. Lynx):

  • Lynx canadensis– Canadian lynx
  • lynx lynx– common lynx
  • Lynx pardinus– Pyrenean lynx, Spanish lynx, Sardinian lynx
  • Lynx Rufus– red lynx, red lynx

In the Pleistocene, the fifth representative of the genus became extinct - the species Lynx issiodorensis, whose remains have been found in Africa, Eurasia and North America.

Below is a description of the four varieties of lynxes.

  • common lynx ( lynx lynx)

Other names: European, Eurasian. The largest and tallest of the lynxes. The length of her body is 80-130 cm, the length of the tail is from 10 to 24.5 cm, the height of the animal at the withers is 60-75 cm. 21 kg. But this is not the limit: the weight of one male from Siberia reached 38 or even 45 kg.

In summer, the Eurasian lynx has a relatively short, reddish or brown coat, which tends to be more brightly colored in animals living in the southern parts of its range. In winter, the fur becomes thicker, its color varies from silver gray or ash blue to grayish brown. The underside of the animal's body, including the neck and chin, is always white. The fur is usually marked with black spots, but their placement and quantity is highly variable. Some individuals have dark brown stripes on the forehead and back. The species has several subspecies.

The common lynx is the northernmost species of the cat family, living even beyond the Arctic Circle. Lives in forests, tree and shrub thickets, on rocky areas, in deserts, in mountains up to 5500 m above sea level. In Russia, the lynx lives in the zones of the taiga and dense mixed forests, including mountain forests, sometimes enters the forest-steppe and forest-tundra, and is found everywhere, up to Sakhalin and Kamchatka.

  • Canadian lynx ( Lynx canadensis)

Some sources call the Canadian lynx a subspecies of the common lynx. The body length of the animal varies from 67 cm (according to some sources from 80 cm) to 106 cm, tail - 5-15 cm, height at the withers - 48-56 cm, weight - from 4.5 to 11 (according to some sources up to 17, 3 kg). In winter, the hair of a lynx is grayish-brown, in summer it is yellowish-brown with small white speckles. Among the representatives of the species there are no melanists and albinos, but an individual with blue hair was seen in Alaska. On the underside of the animal's body, the fur is thicker and lighter. Black hair grows on the edges of the sideburns, on the tail and back of the ears.

Canadian lynxes live in the forests of Alaska, Canada and in the northern regions of the United States to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

  • Pyrenean, Spanish, or sardinian lynx ( Lynx pardinus)

Other names: Iberian, leopard lynx. Previously, it was considered a small subspecies of the common lynx.

It is an animal with a short body, long legs and b about larger tail than other members of the genus. The body length of males is 65-82 (in some sources up to 100) cm, tail - 12.5-16 (according to some sources 30 cm), height at the withers - 40-70 cm, weight from 7 to 15.9 kg. Females are smaller, their body length ranges from 68 to 75 cm, weight - 9-10 kg. The Pyrenean lynx has a short bright yellow or reddish-brown spotted coat, similar in color to a leopard.

The range of the Pyrenean lynx is the limited mountainous regions of Spain. Back in the middle of the 20th century, its populations stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to Galicia (Western Ukraine). By 1960 it had lost 80% of its former range. This is the rarest species of lynx, listed in the International Red Book.

The Pyrenean lynx lives in mixed forests, steppes and among rocks. It occurs at an altitude of 400 to 1300 meters above sea level.

Taken from: www.lynxexsitu.es, CC BY 3.0 es

Taken from: www.lynxexsitu.es, CC BY 3.0 es

  • Red Lynx, or red lynx ( Lynx Rufus )

This is the smallest lynx among the four species. The size of the animals, excluding the tail, is 47.5-105 cm (average body length is 82.7 cm), the tail is from 9 to 20 cm, the height at the withers is 30-60 cm, the weight of males is from 6.4 to 18 kg, females - from 4 to 15 kg. The largest animal of this species weighed 27 kg.

The American lynx has shorter legs than other species, and narrow paws, as it does not need to move in deep snow. The muzzle of the animal seems wide due to the looseness of the hair growing on it. The coat color of the lynx is variable, usually grayish brown with black streaks, the underside and sideburns are white with black specks. There is a white mark on the inside of the tip of the tail. There are lynxes completely black and white.

Red bobcats live throughout most of continental North America, from southern Canada to central Mexico. Prefer open habitats, inhabit deserts, savannahs, forests, grassy and shrubby steppes. They are found up to 3500 m above sea level. Within the species, there are many subspecies.

How long does a lynx live?

Maximum lifespan of a lynx in the wild:

  • Canadian lynx: 14.5 years;
  • common lynx: 17 years;
  • red lynx: 12 years;
  • Pyrenean lynx: 13 years.

Maximum lifespan in captivity:

  • Canadian lynx: 26 years 7 months;
  • common lynx: 24 years;
  • red lynx: 32 years;
  • Iberian lynx: unknown.

Lynx breeding

Sexual maturity is reached by different sexes at different times. Females - by 1 year or by 1 year 9 months, males - from 1 year 6 months to 2 years 9 months.

The common lynx rut begins in January-March, the red and Canada lynx breed from February to June. During the rut, both females and males scream loudly. Fights break out between males. A pair of lynxes that have chosen each other affectionately “butt” their foreheads.

Pregnancy of the female lasts 63-74 days. The birth of young lynxes occurs in May-June.

Taken from: www.lynxexsitu.es, CC BY 3.0 es

Their refuge is a lair under the twisted roots of a fallen tree, a pit, an earthen cave, a low hollow, windbreak, rock crevices.

There, the female makes a “nest”, lining the bottom with animal hair. There can be from 1 to 6 kittens in a litter, on average 2 cubs are born.

The mass of newborn lynxes is 245-300 g. Lynx cubs are born helpless: blind, with closed auditory canals. Their eyes open only on the 12th day. A month later, the mother lynx begins to feed the kittens with solid food.

Both parents participate in the upbringing of the cubs. Fights of teenagers are very serious, during which they can kill weaker brothers and sisters. Grown up lynxes hunt with their mother until the next breeding season, and then move on to an independent existence and live alone.

Taken from: www.lynxexsitu.es, CC BY 3.0 es

Lynx enemies in nature

The natural enemies of the red lynx are other cats: jaguars, cougars and Canada lynx. Packs of wolves, wolverines, tigers and snow leopards in the fight for the killed prey can fight with the lynx. In such cases, the latter often loses or flees. Alone, a wolf has no chance against a lynx, but a predator cannot cope with a whole flock.

Lynx cubs can become the prey of many predators: bears, wolves, etc.

Domestic lynx and its content

Breeders crossed the Canadian lynx with a domestic cat and got the breed of a real domestic lynx. Work on breeding the domestic form of the predator has not yet been completed, but animals are already being actively sold and bought.

The domestic lynx cat is smaller in size, but its appearance does not differ from its wild counterpart. She demands:

  • keeping outdoors in a spacious aviary, she feels uncomfortable in the room, and her coat does not become so thick and beautiful;
  • ensuring activity, equipping her enclosure with tree trunks and other devices so that she moves and develops more;
  • daily feeding with fresh meat (at least 2 kg), and from time to time live prey;
  • daily attention from the owners, as the domestic lynx is bored without communication and weaned from people.

During the rut, the behavior of the domestic lynx can be aggressive. The owners must have a strong character so that the animal feels their strength. For a child, an animal can be dangerous.

Do people eat lynx meat?

Today it seems to us that the lynx is not associated with food at all. But in the old days in many European countries, its meat was a delicacy. In Russia, it was served at the royal table, in Rome they cooked roast from it, and at the feasts of the Vikings there were also lynx dishes.

Taken from: www.lynxexsitu.es, CC BY 3.0 es

The benefits and harms of lynx

The lynx plays an important role in forest biocenoses. It regulates the number of many animals, hunting, like wolves, mainly on sick and weak individuals. Wild cats rarely attack small livestock. The lynx is very smart, so there have been no fatal attacks on a person in history. But, protecting herself and her cubs, she can inflict serious wounds on a person.

Lynx is an object of fur trade. Warm and soft fur coats and hats are made from her skin. For this reason, due to the destruction of its natural habitats and due to the fact that people did not like the lynx, the animal was on the verge of extinction.

The conservation measures have given their results, and now the number of individuals of 3 species has been restored, while the Spanish (Pyrenean) lynx is still an endangered species. Lynx hunting is still strictly regulated.

  • The ancient Greeks believed that the lynx was able to see through objects, and considered amber to be the frozen urine of this cat.
  • The rarest cat in the world is the Pyrenean lynx.
  • Lynxes, like domestic cats, also love to play with their prey. But only with the dead, because they instantly kill the prey, sinking their teeth into her neck.
  • In 1960, the Polish astronomer Jan Hevelius discovered a constellation that is very hard to see in the sky. He named it "Lynx", because in order to see it, you need the same sharp eyesight as this wild animal.
  • Among the ancient Slavs, the lynx was a totem animal. There is even an unconfirmed opinion that the word "Rus" comes from the name of this mammal.
  • In the seaside zoo in 2018, a cat named Monika brought up a lynx. Such cases are not uncommon in history.
  • This wild forest cat is the symbol of Gomel. A bronze lynx monument adorns the entrance to the city.
  • The Maine Coon cat breed was not formed at all as a result of crossing them with a lynx, although these cats also have tassels of hair on their ears.