Lynx

Lynx, common name for three members of a genus of wild carnivores  characterized by disproportionately long legs and large, heavy paws. Lynx are found throughout the temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere. They are stout-bodied animals, 65 to 130 cm (26 to 51 in) in length, with thick, soft fur and short, stubby tails. Most species have a tuft of hair, more than 2 cm (0.78 in) long, at the tip of each ear. Lynx are agile climbers, spending some of their time in good weather on the limbs of trees, waiting for the weaker mammals and terrestrial birds that constitute their prey to pass beneath them. It is also common for lynx to stalk their prey. In inclement weather and when breeding, lynx take shelter in caves or in hollow trees or logs. Two to four kittens make up the average litter. Lynx are valued for their fur.

Generally, four species of lynx are recognized: the Spanish lynx, which is listed as an endangered species; the bobcat, also known as the wildcat, which is widespread throughout the United States except for the midwestern Corn Belt; the Eurasian, or northern, lynx; and the Canada lynx. The Canada lynx is found from the northern United States throughout Canada and Alaska; it is the largest species in North America, averaging 90 cm (3 ft) in head-and-body length, with a tail length of 5 to 14 cm (2 to 5.5 in). The back is dark gray streaked with chestnut, and the belly is grayish-white, often with black spots. The species feeds chiefly on snowshoe hares, deer, and other ungulates. In 1998, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service designated the Canada lynx as a protected species throughout the forests of the lower 48 states.

Scientific classification: Lynx belong to the family Felidae. The Spanish lynx is classified as Lynx pardinus, the bobcat as Lynx rufus, the Eurasian lynx as Lynx lynx, and the Canada lynx as Lynx canadensis.

Lynx Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2001. © 1993-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.