Canada Lynx: Difference between revisions

|wikilink=[[Wikipedia:Canada Lynx|Canada Lynx]]

|reallife=[[File:Canada lynx by Michael Zahra (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|left|A Canada Lynx. Photo by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Canada_lynx_by_Michael_Zahra_(cropped).jpg Michael Zahra], 2010.]]

The Canada lynx (''Lynx canadensis'') is a medium-sized North American [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx lynx]. It is famous for its tufted ears, long, dense fur, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowshoe snowshoe]-like paws. They can be found across Alaska, Canada, and northern areas of the United States.  

These mid-sized felines typically measure 73 and 107 cm. (29 and 42 in.) in total length and stand 48–56 cm (19–22 in) tall at the shoulder. They are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexually_dimorphic sexually dimorphic], with males being significantly larger than females: Females weigh around 5–12 kg (11–26 lb.) whereas males around 6–17 kg (13–37 lb.). An interesting feature is their hind legs- like bobcats, their hind legs are longer than the front legs. This makes their backs slope downward.  

[[File:Canadian lynx by Keith Williams.jpg|thumb|left|The hind legs are longer than its front legs, causing it to slope downward toward the front. Photo by [https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithmwilliams/ Keith Williams].]]

Their signature fluffy coat is solid colored with no markings except towards the underside. The coat's thickness provides warmth and protection in the lynx's chilly home. Fur color ranges from yellowish brown to brown to buff gray, depending on the location. The length also varies depending on the season, being shorter in the summer and longer in the winter. Their tail tips are completely black.

 

The lynx's primary habitat is in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_forest_of_Canada dense boreal forest of Canada]. This habitat range strongly coincides with that of the [[Snowshoe Hare|snowshoe hare]]. In the United States, it can be found in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mountains_(Pacific_Northwest) Blue Mountains] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascade_Range Cascade Range], the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains Rocky Mountains], the northern [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_region Great Lakes region], and northern New England. The highest recorded elevation they've been found is 4,310 m (14,140 ft.). They generally avoid open areas despite good prey availability. Heavily logged lands and agricultural land are difficult for it to survive in, but can thrive in deforested areas that have been left to regenerate. It is considered to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_extinction extirpated] in several US states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Nevada, Indiana, and Ohio.

A [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturnality nocturnal] predator, the Canada Lynx hunts mainly at night, like its staple prey the Snowshoe Hare. However some lynxes have been seen hunting in the daytime. By walking, climbing, and even swimming, a single lynx can cover up to 8–9 km (5.0–5.6 mi) daily. One account tells of a Canada lynx swimming 3.2 km (2 mi) across the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukon_River Yukon River]. They are also known to avoid predators by climbing and hiding in trees, however they will return to the ground to hunt.  

Canada Lynxes have a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotka%E2%80%93Volterra_equations predator-prey cycle] relationship with Snowshoe Hares- the hares make up about 35–97% of their diet. The lynx responds to the cyclic rises and falls of the hare populations over the years: lynx populations increase with an increasing hare population. Conversely, if the hare population decreases in a given area, the lynx will move to areas with more hares. If there are instances where the hare population drops drastically, Canada Lynxes will search for other options, including ducks, grouse, moles, ptarmigan, American red squirrels, voles, wild sheep, deer, and even young [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_woodland_caribou Boreal woodland caribou]. Scavenging is also common, animals killed by cold or vehicles are considered fair game.  

Solitary by nature, Canada Lynxes tend to avoid each other unless it's mating season. The season is a month long (March to April). Females are pregnant for two to three months, after which a litter of one to eight kittens is born. Most litters are born between May and July. Kits are blind for the first two weeks and are weaned after about 12 weeks. Female kits will stay close to their mother's home range for the rest of their life while male kits will move far away. Canada lynxes have been reported to live sixteen years in the wild, though most do not survive ten. In human care, however, they may make it to twenty-seven.  

|trivia=* Another common name is the Canadian Lynx.