
THE LYNX- one of the world's endangered species

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The Canada Lynx, a wildcat, is a sturdy looking animal set on solid looking legs, a rear noticeably longer than the front, with large paws, a fairly small head, and a very short tail.Though similar in appearance to bobcats, lynx are larger and have longer ear tufts and different tail markings. The lynx's tail is tawny gray with a black tip, whereas the bobcat's tail has narrow black bands and a black tip. Lynx are tawny gray, sometimes with faint spots on their inner legs. Both their gray-brown faces and light gray ear tufts are edged with black. The cats' large eyes and ears give them excellent sight and hearing. Like most other cats, lynx have retractable claws for capturing prey, fighting and climbing. In winter, their large feet act like snowshoes, enabling the cats to walk easily on the surface of deep snow. Dense, coarse hair that grows on their paws in winter also increases the snowshoe effect and helps keep their feet warm. Average length is 3 feet, height 2 feet, and weight 10-40 pounds. Biology - Female lynx bear usually 2 kittens in May-July who remain with her throughout their first winter. They make their dens in hollow trees, tangled thickets and under logs, stumps and fallen timber. Their large, thickly furred feet allow them to stalk their prey silently and give them better speed through soft snow where other animals may flounder, though not the Snowshoe Hare which is the lynx's chief prey. A chief characteristic is their 9-10 year cycle of peaking which parallels that of the snowshoe hare. The lynx lives as long as 12-13 years; the chief factor of death is lack of nutrition. Man, who values its long, silky fur, the wolf and Mountain Lion are its main predators.
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The Iberian Lynx-One of the most endangered feline species.
The Species:
| Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis).. North American Lynx, Canadian Lynx |
| Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus).. Spanish Lynx, Lynx Iberico, Pardel Lynx |
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| Siberian Lynx (Lynx lynx wrangeli)..Eurasian Lynx |
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| Turkestan Lynx (Lynx lynx isabellinus).. European Lynx |
| "Make endangered
species a vivid presence in the lives of people. Make it clear that every
endangered species has a name, has a million-year history, has a place in
the world. Bring us face-to-face with each one of those species. Make us
know that they are our companions in the biosphere. They are not just
something out there you look at once in a while, but they're a part of our
existence ... they are a part of us." ~Edward O. Wilson |
Bibliography/Acnowlegements/Links:
Iberian lynx pic courtesy Naturlink
Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resources
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