Lynx
Encyclopedia
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus
species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English
via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European
root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes
. There is considerable confusion about the best way to classify felids at present, and some authorities classify them as part of the genus Felis
.
Neither the caracal
, sometimes called the Persian lynx or African lynx, nor the jungle cat
, called the swamp lynx, is a member of the Lynx genus.
Lynx have short tails and characteristic tufts of black hair on the tip of their ears.They have a ruff under the neck, which has black bars (not very visible), resembling a bow tie. They have large padded paws for walking on snow, and long whiskers on the face.
The large body colour varies from medium brown to gold-ish to beige-white; and occasionally, is marked with dark brown spots, especially on the limbs. All species of lynx also have white fur on their chests, bellies and on the insides of their legs, which are extensions of the chest and belly fur. Also, the lynx's colouring, fur height and paw size varies by its climate range—in the Southwestern United States
, the fur and colour are short-haired, dark and the paws are smaller and less padded; as the lynx ranges to its colder northern climates, the fur gets progressively thicker (for warmth), the colour gets lighter (for camouflage) and its paws enlarge and become more padded (for snowy environments). Their paws may become larger than a human hand or foot.
The smallest species are the bobcat
and the Canada lynx
, while the largest is the Eurasian lynx
, however there are considerable variations within species.
", which lived in Europe and Africa during the late Pliocene
to early Pleistocene
. The Pliocene felid Felis rexroadensis from North America has been proposed as an even earlier ancestor; however, this was larger than any living species, and is not currently classified as a true lynx.
an and Siberia
n forests. While its conservation status
has been classified as "Least Concern
", populations of Eurasian lynx have been reduced or extirpate
d from western Europe, where it is now being reintroduced.
During the summer, the Eurasian lynx has a relatively short, reddish or brown coat, which is replaced by a much thicker silver-grey to greyish-brown coat during winter. The lynx hunts by stalking and jumping its prey, helped by the rugged forested country it resides in. The cat will generally feed on small prey, such as, hare
s, rabbit
s, fox
es, etc., and switch to larger prey only when food becomes scarce.
and into Alaska
as well as some parts of the northern United States
. By 2010, after an 11 year effort, it had been successfully reintroduced into Colorado
where it had become extinct in the 1970s. In 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service designated the Canada Lynx a threatened species in the lower 48 states.
Canada lynx are good climbers and swimmers, they construct rough shelters under fallen trees or rock ledges. Canada lynx have thick coats and broad paws, and are twice as effective as bobcats at supporting their weight on the snow. The Canada lynx's diet is almost exclusive to and dependent on snowshoe hare
s and their numbers. They will also hunt medium-sized mammals and birds if hare numbers fall.
The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is a critically endangered species native to the Iberian Peninsula
in Southern Europe
. It is the most endangered cat species in the world. According to the conservation group SOS Lynx, if this species died out, it would be the first feline
extinction since the Smilodon
10,000 years ago. The species used to be classified as a subspecies of the Eurasian Lynx
(Lynx lynx), but is now considered a separate species. Both species occurred together in central Europe
in the Pleistocene
epoch, being separated by habitat choice. The Iberian lynx is believed to have evolved from Lynx issiodorensis
.
The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American wildcat. With twelve recognized subspecies, bobcats are common throughout southern Canada, continental United States, and northern Mexico. The Bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits deciduous
, coniferous, or mixed
woodlands, but — unlike other Lynx — does not depend exclusively on the deep forest and ranges from swamps and desert lands to mountainous and agricultural areas; its spotted coat serving as camouflage. The population of the Bobcat depends primarily on the population of its prey. Nonetheless, bobcats are often killed by larger predators such as coyotes.
The bobcat resembles other species of the Lynx genus but is on average the smallest of the four. Its coat is variable, though generally tan to grayish brown, with black streaks on the body and dark bars on the forelegs and tail. The ears are black-tipped and pointed, with short black tufts. There is generally an off-white color on the lips, chin, and underparts. Bobcats in the desert regions of the southwest have the lightest colored coats, while those in the northern, forested regions are darkest.
, reindeer
, roe deer
, small red deer
, and chamois
, to smaller, more usual prey: snowshoe hare
s, fish
, fox
, sheep, squirrel
s, mice
, turkey
s and other bird
s, and goat
s. They also eat ptarmigan, voles and grouse.
ranges from central and northern Europe
across Asia
. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the Eurasian lynx was considered extinct in the wild in Slovenia
and Croatia
. A resettlement project, begun in 1973, has successfully reintroduced lynx to the Slovenian Alps and the Croatian regions of Gorski Kotar and Velebit, including Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park and Risnjak National Park
. In both countries, the lynx is listed as an endangered species and protected by law.
Several lynx resettlement projects begun in the 1970s have been successful in various regions of Switzerland
. Since the 1990s, there have been numerous efforts to resettle the Eurasian lynx in Germany
and since 2000 a small population can now be found in the Harz
mountains near Bad Lauterberg
.
Lynx are found in the Białowieża Forest in northeastern Poland
, in Estonia
and in the northern and western parts of China, particularly the Tibetan Plateau
. In Romania
the numbers exceed 2,000, the largest population in Europe outside of Russia
, although most experts consider the official population numbers to be overestimated.
Lynx are more common in northern Europe, especially in Sweden
, Estonia
, Finland
, and the northern parts of Russia
. The Swedish population is estimated to be 1200–1500 individuals, spread all over the country but more common in middle Sweden and in the mountain range. The lynx population in Finland was 1900–2100 individuals in year 2008, and the number have been increasing every year since 1992. It has been estimated that lynx population in Finland is currently larger than ever before. Lynx in Britain
were wiped out in the 17th Century but there have been calls to reintroduce them to curb the numbers of deer
.
The critically endangered Iberian lynx
lives in southern Spain
and formerly in eastern Portugal
. There is a lynx reproduction centre planned outside Silves in the Algarve in southern Portugal.
, both found in the temperate zone. While bobcats are common throughout southern Canada, continental United States, and northern Mexico, Canada lynx are mainly present in boreal forests of Canada and Alaska.
The hunting of lynx is illegal in many countries. The Iberian lynx is almost extinct and killing them has been outlawed since the 1970s in Spain and Portugal.
and is displayed on the reverse of the R.Macedonia 5 denar coin.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English
Middle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European
Indo-European
Indo-European may refer to:* Indo-European languages** Aryan race, a 19th century and early 20th century term for those peoples who are the native speakers of Indo-European languages...
root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes
Tapetum lucidum
The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals....
. There is considerable confusion about the best way to classify felids at present, and some authorities classify them as part of the genus Felis
Felis
Felis is a genus of cats in the family Felidae, including the familiar domestic cat and its closest wild relatives. The wild species are distributed widely across Europe, southern and central Asia, and Africa; the domestic cat has been introduced worldwide.Members of the genus Felis are all small...
.
Neither the caracal
Caracal
The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...
, sometimes called the Persian lynx or African lynx, nor the jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
, called the swamp lynx, is a member of the Lynx genus.
Appearance
The large body colour varies from medium brown to gold-ish to beige-white; and occasionally, is marked with dark brown spots, especially on the limbs. All species of lynx also have white fur on their chests, bellies and on the insides of their legs, which are extensions of the chest and belly fur. Also, the lynx's colouring, fur height and paw size varies by its climate range—in the Southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
, the fur and colour are short-haired, dark and the paws are smaller and less padded; as the lynx ranges to its colder northern climates, the fur gets progressively thicker (for warmth), the colour gets lighter (for camouflage) and its paws enlarge and become more padded (for snowy environments). Their paws may become larger than a human hand or foot.
The smallest species are the bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
and the Canada lynx
Canada Lynx
The Canada lynx or Canadian lynx is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. It is a close relative of the Eurasian Lynx . Some authorities regard both as conspecific. However, in some characteristics the Canada lynx is more like the bobcat than the Eurasian Lynx...
, while the largest is the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
, however there are considerable variations within species.
| Species | Weight | Length | Height (standing at shoulders) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurasian Lynx | males | 18 to 30 kg (39.7 to 66.1 lb) | 81 to 129 cm (31.9 to 50.8 in) | 70 centimetres (27.6 in) |
| females | 18 kilograms (39.7 lb) | |||
| Canada Lynx | 8 to 11 kg (17.6 to 24.3 lb) | 80 to 105 cm (31.5 to 41.3 in) | 48 to 56 cm (18.9 to 22 in) | |
| Iberian Lynx | males | 12.9 kilograms (28.4 lb) | 85 to 110 cm (33.5 to 43.3 in) | 60 to 70 cm (23.6 to 27.6 in) |
| females | 9.4 kilograms (20.7 lb) | |||
| Bobcat | males | 7.3 to 14 kg (16.1 to 30.9 lb) | 71 to 100 cm (28 to 39.4 in) | 51 to 61 cm (20.1 to 24 in) |
| females | 9.1 kilograms (20.1 lb) |
Species
The four living species of the Lynx genus are believed to have evolved from the "Issoire lynxLynx issiodorensis
Lynx issiodorensis, or Issoire Lynx, was a species of lynx that inhabited Europe during the Pleistocene epoch, and may have originated in Africa during the late Pliocene. It probably became extinct during the end of the last glacial period....
", which lived in Europe and Africa during the late Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
to early Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
. The Pliocene felid Felis rexroadensis from North America has been proposed as an even earlier ancestor; however, this was larger than any living species, and is not currently classified as a true lynx.
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is the biggest of the lynxes. It is native to EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
n forests. While its conservation status
Conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group is still extant and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future...
has been classified as "Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
", populations of Eurasian lynx have been reduced or extirpate
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
d from western Europe, where it is now being reintroduced.
During the summer, the Eurasian lynx has a relatively short, reddish or brown coat, which is replaced by a much thicker silver-grey to greyish-brown coat during winter. The lynx hunts by stalking and jumping its prey, helped by the rugged forested country it resides in. The cat will generally feed on small prey, such as, hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
s, rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, etc., and switch to larger prey only when food becomes scarce.
Canada Lynx
The Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) or Canadian Lynx is a North American felid. It ranges in forest and tundra regions across CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and into Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
as well as some parts of the northern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. By 2010, after an 11 year effort, it had been successfully reintroduced into Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
where it had become extinct in the 1970s. In 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service designated the Canada Lynx a threatened species in the lower 48 states.
Canada lynx are good climbers and swimmers, they construct rough shelters under fallen trees or rock ledges. Canada lynx have thick coats and broad paws, and are twice as effective as bobcats at supporting their weight on the snow. The Canada lynx's diet is almost exclusive to and dependent on snowshoe hare
Snowshoe Hare
The Snowshoe Hare , also called the Varying Hare, or Snowshoe Rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet and the marks its tail leaves. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks...
s and their numbers. They will also hunt medium-sized mammals and birds if hare numbers fall.
Iberian Lynx
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
in Southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
. It is the most endangered cat species in the world. According to the conservation group SOS Lynx, if this species died out, it would be the first feline
Felidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
extinction since the Smilodon
Smilodon
Smilodon , often called a saber-toothed cat or saber-toothed tiger, is an extinct genus of machairodonts. This saber-toothed cat was endemic to North America and South America, living from near the beginning through the very end of the Pleistocene epoch .-Etymology:The nickname "saber-tooth" refers...
10,000 years ago. The species used to be classified as a subspecies of the Eurasian Lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
(Lynx lynx), but is now considered a separate species. Both species occurred together in central Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epoch, being separated by habitat choice. The Iberian lynx is believed to have evolved from Lynx issiodorensis
Lynx issiodorensis
Lynx issiodorensis, or Issoire Lynx, was a species of lynx that inhabited Europe during the Pleistocene epoch, and may have originated in Africa during the late Pliocene. It probably became extinct during the end of the last glacial period....
.
Bobcat
Temperate deciduous forest
A temperate deciduous forest, more precisely termed temperate broadleaf forest or temperate broadleaved forest, is a biome found in North America, southern South America, Europe, and Asia. A temperate deciduous forest consists of trees that lose their leaves every year...
, coniferous, or mixed
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Mixed forests are a temperate and humid biome. The typical structure of these forests includes four layers. The uppermost layer is the canopy composed of tall mature trees ranging from 33 to 66 m high. Below the canopy is the three-layered, shade-tolerant understory that is roughly 9 to...
woodlands, but — unlike other Lynx — does not depend exclusively on the deep forest and ranges from swamps and desert lands to mountainous and agricultural areas; its spotted coat serving as camouflage. The population of the Bobcat depends primarily on the population of its prey. Nonetheless, bobcats are often killed by larger predators such as coyotes.
The bobcat resembles other species of the Lynx genus but is on average the smallest of the four. Its coat is variable, though generally tan to grayish brown, with black streaks on the body and dark bars on the forelegs and tail. The ears are black-tipped and pointed, with short black tufts. There is generally an off-white color on the lips, chin, and underparts. Bobcats in the desert regions of the southwest have the lightest colored coats, while those in the northern, forested regions are darkest.
Behaviour
Lynx are usually solitary, although small groups of lynx may travel and hunt together occasionally. Mating takes place in the late winter and they give birth from two to four kittens once a year. The gestation time of lynx is about 70 days. The young stay with the mother for one more winter, a total of around nine months, before they move out to live on their own as young adults. Lynx will create their dens in crevices or under ledges. They feed on a wide range of animals from white-tailed deerWhite-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, small red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, and chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, to smaller, more usual prey: snowshoe hare
Snowshoe Hare
The Snowshoe Hare , also called the Varying Hare, or Snowshoe Rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet and the marks its tail leaves. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks...
s, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, sheep, squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s, mice
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
, turkey
Turkey (bird)
A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species...
s and other bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, and goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s. They also eat ptarmigan, voles and grouse.
Distribution and habitat
Lynx inhabit high altitude forests with dense cover of shrubs, reeds, and tall grass. Although the cats hunt on the ground, they can climb trees and can swim swiftly, catching fish.Europe and Asia
The Eurasian lynxEurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
ranges from central and northern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
across Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the Eurasian lynx was considered extinct in the wild in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. A resettlement project, begun in 1973, has successfully reintroduced lynx to the Slovenian Alps and the Croatian regions of Gorski Kotar and Velebit, including Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park and Risnjak National Park
Risnjak National Park
Risnjak National Park is a national park in Croatia. It is located in Gorski kotar, the most mountainous and heavily forested region of the country, about 15 km inland from the Adriatic Sea. The park covers an area of 63.5 square kilometers including the central part of Risnjak and Snježnik...
. In both countries, the lynx is listed as an endangered species and protected by law.
Several lynx resettlement projects begun in the 1970s have been successful in various regions of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Since the 1990s, there have been numerous efforts to resettle the Eurasian lynx in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and since 2000 a small population can now be found in the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
mountains near Bad Lauterberg
Bad Lauterberg
Bad Lauterberg is a town in the district of Osterode, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the southern Harz, approx. 15 km southwest of Braunlage, and 20 km southeast of Osterode am Harz....
.
Lynx are found in the Białowieża Forest in northeastern Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and in the northern and western parts of China, particularly the Tibetan Plateau
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
. In Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
the numbers exceed 2,000, the largest population in Europe outside of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, although most experts consider the official population numbers to be overestimated.
Lynx are more common in northern Europe, especially in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, and the northern parts of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The Swedish population is estimated to be 1200–1500 individuals, spread all over the country but more common in middle Sweden and in the mountain range. The lynx population in Finland was 1900–2100 individuals in year 2008, and the number have been increasing every year since 1992. It has been estimated that lynx population in Finland is currently larger than ever before. Lynx in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
were wiped out in the 17th Century but there have been calls to reintroduce them to curb the numbers of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
.
The critically endangered Iberian lynx
Iberian Lynx
The Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus, is a critically endangered species native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe. It is one of the most endangered cat species in the world. According to the conservation group SOS Lynx, if this species died out, it would be one of the few feline extinctions...
lives in southern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and formerly in eastern Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. There is a lynx reproduction centre planned outside Silves in the Algarve in southern Portugal.
North America
There are two Lynx species in North America — Canada Lynx and bobcatsBobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
, both found in the temperate zone. While bobcats are common throughout southern Canada, continental United States, and northern Mexico, Canada lynx are mainly present in boreal forests of Canada and Alaska.
Legal status
National animal
The lynx is considered a national animal in the Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and is displayed on the reverse of the R.Macedonia 5 denar coin.
See also
- Lynx (mythology)Lynx (mythology)The Lynx is an elusive, ghost-like animal that sees without being seen. Often called "the keeper of secrets of the forest", its magical appearance stems from the mystery that such a creature's secrecy can also be its strength.-Roles of the Lynx:...
- WildcatWildcatWildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
, a small predator native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa
External links
- SOS Lynx: Photos, news and information about the Iberian Lynx in English and Portuguese
- Canada Lynx in the Southern Rockies
- The Iberian Lynx The natural history of the Iberian Lynx
- The Nature Conservatory's Species Profile: Lynx
- Canada Lynx (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
- Lynx research in the Bavarian Forest National Park
- Forest Service Lynx research - RMRS
- / Smithsonian Magazine: Tracking The Elusive Lynx