Lynxes are large predators, which, despite their size, are closely related to ordinary wild cats and domestic cats. There are 4 types of lynx - common, Canadian, red and Spanish. These species are similar in appearance and lifestyle.

Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis).

The appearance of lynxes is quite different from other types of cats. These are animals the size of an average dog: body length can reach up to 1 m, weight from 5-7 kg (for the red lynx) to 12-20 kg for other species. The body of these animals is relatively short, and the legs are long and wide at the same time. Distinctive Features These cats have a short thick tail and large ears with tufts of hair at the ends. By these signs you can immediately and unmistakably distinguish a lynx from other cats.

When looking at a lynx, what immediately catches your eye is its short tail.

The fur of all lynx species is quite thick; long hair forms “whiskers” on the cheeks. The coat color is red or grayish with black or brown spots. Unlike the leopard, the lynx's spots are sparse and evenly distributed over the body. The tip of the tail is always black.

Red lynx (Lynx rufus).

The range of these animals is located in the Northern Hemisphere - lynxes can be found throughout Europe, Asia and North America. In the north, the lynx's distribution zone reaches the Arctic Circle, in the south it borders on the subtropics. All species of lynx are forest dwellers and only the bobcat can be found in the deserts of the southern United States. The common and Canadian lynx prefer to live in coniferous forests; the Spanish lynx inhabits the dry evergreen forests of the Pyrenees mountains. These animals lead a solitary lifestyle. They are silent, unsociable and rarely catch the eye of people. Thanks to its wide paws, the lynx does not get stuck when moving in deep snow. Lynxes lead a sedentary lifestyle, but the common lynx can migrate after massively multiplying hares.

Lynxes are excellent at climbing trees.

Southern species of lynx (Spanish, red) hunt mainly rodents, hares, rabbits and birds. In addition, the common and Canadian lynx often include larger animals in their diet - deer, young moose and wild boar. What helps them kill prey much larger than themselves is not strength, but hunting tactics. Lynxes prefer to watch their prey in ambush or sneaking up, then with a sudden leap they jump onto the victim’s back and strangle. They show great caution and restraint, sitting in ambush for a long time (sometimes for a whole day).

The lynx creeps up to its prey completely silently.

However, sometimes lynxes chase hares. In addition to herbivores, lynxes can also eat small predators - martens, foxes, wild cats and even wolf cubs.

A Spanish lynx (Lynx pardinus) caught a rabbit.

Lynxes breed once a year. The rut occurs in February-March. The males begin to emit loud calling calls. Due to the fact that lynxes live scatteredly, they do not form aggregations even during the breeding season.

A pair of Canadian lynxes.

Pregnancy lasts 2-2.5 months. The female gives birth to 2-3 kittens in a secluded den.

A little lynx peeks out from behind the branches.

The mother carefully hides her shelter and protects the offspring from the attacks of other predators (while the kittens are small, they can be killed by wolves or large martens).

Lynx is a large predatory cat. Which can be found in the forests of Russia, North America, Eurasia and the Arctic. On the territory of Russia, the Siberian lynx is mainly found.

What does a common lynx look like? It has a body length of 80 cm to 130 cm and a height of about 70 cm. It is the size of a sick dog. The weight of males reaches up to 30 kg, in females up to 18 kg. The body is dense and short. The difference between the lynx and other felines is the presence of tufts on the tips of the ears. It has a short “stump”, that is, a tail.

The head is proportional to the body, small and rounded. The muzzle is shortened, the eyes and pupils are round. Due to the long hairline along the edges of the muzzle, it gives the impression of having “buoys”.

Lynx fur is considered very valuable; there is nothing like it in the family. It is distinguished by its silkiness, height and density. The fur is renewed, like that of any individual, in spring and autumn. On the belly there are small speckles on a pure white background.

Powerful paws and elongated pile, which becomes winter time dense, distinguish the northern individual from its peers.

Good winter furry makes the lynx's paws "skis", due to which it can easily move on snow, which has a loose consistency. This is the main difference between the northern lynx and its relatives.

The color depends entirely on where the lynx lives. Southern individuals are red in color. Northern - from brownish-red to fawn with haze. The back, sides and paws have pronounced spots. The belly has white soft ones, long hair, which in rare cases are diluted with specks.

The lynx is the closest individual to a domestic cat. Although it has significant external difference. The tracks resemble those of a cat, without visible manifestations of claws, the hind legs follow each other closely with the front ones.

Where does the lynx live?

The lynx's habitats have a wide geographical area. You can meet her at:

• Azerbaijan;
• Albania;
• Belarus;
• Hungary;
• Georgia;
• Spain;
• Kazakhstan;
• Canada;
• China;
• Ukraine;
• Mongolia;
• Russia;
• Romania;
• Estonia.

Is not full list predator habitats.

Lifestyle of the common lynx

The predatory cat prefers to live in cluttered, inaccessible dark coniferous forests. But its habitats can be found in different places: forest-tundra, mountain forests, forest-steppe and polar regions. Spots on the fur help the animal hunt while getting food. During the day, due to the spots, it is lost in the glare sun rays, which are reflected from the crowns of trees, and in the evening and at dawn are disguised as twilight.

The lynx leads a sedentary lifestyle, but when there is a shortage of food supplies, it migrates to other places richer in food. The distance covers up to 30 km per day. What does a lynx eat? Its main diet is hares, beavers, small rodents, partridges and hazel grouse. Less commonly - small roe deer, fallow deer, wild boar and moose. May eat black grouse and raccoon dogs.

The predatory cat is easy to tame. When completely accustomed to a person, she allows herself to be picked up and purrs like an ordinary domestic cat, only loudly, like a running electric motor. During the existence of lynxes, not a single case of attack on a person has been recorded.

In terms of her power, she can do this easily, like a cheetah, tiger or lion, but no, she doesn’t. But it can kill your pets.

The cat also feels good in zoos, under conditions created for it that are close to natural.

Hunting and food

The lynx's main hunting time is twilight. She lies in wait for prey while sitting in ambush or slowly sneaks up to the victim in order to overtake him in one jump. The lynx never jumps onto its prey from a branch; it hides behind trees, fallen branches and stumps, and sometimes sits on a thick branch.

Having creeped up to the victim at a distance of 15 meters, she pounces on her in several jumps. If the attempt to kill the prey the first time is unsuccessful, the predator begins the chase; usually the fleeing animal manages to escape. The cat is not endowed with endurance and lasts for 60-80 m of pursuit.

When attacking a large animal, the predator bites into the throat and digs its claws into the front of the body. Torments until the animal gives up and falls dead. The lynx attacks foxes and martens, thereby protecting its hunting grounds. She eats a small portion of food at a time. He hides the rest, burying it in the snow or in places inaccessible to other predators, but he does it without trying, so he is often left without supplies.

Therefore, it happens that a lynx remains to guard its uneaten food in place, even if it is full. Since smaller lovers fresh meat- sables and weasels quickly take away sloppily buried remains of food. And the wolverine, knowing the hunting abilities of the red cat, often pursues it during the hunt. At the first opportunity, he selects the food he has caught or waits until the huntress is fed, and then disposes of the leftovers.

On average, one roe deer is enough to feed a lynx for 3-4 days; for a brood this is the daily norm. The cat eats salmon for a week. The hare is eaten within two days.

The lynx is a very cautious animal, but even so it is not afraid of people. The animal is located in secondary forest plantations created by people, in young forests and burnt areas. And where there is not enough food, for example, in mountainous areas, it visits settlements. There have been cases where she has been seen in urban areas. She does not attack people herself, but if she defends herself from an attack, she can seriously injure her.

The common lynx brings great benefits to forests. Along with the “doctors” of the forest - wolves, she mainly exterminates sick, wounded and weak animals.

Reproduction and lifespan

Predators breed from mid-February and throughout March. In nature, several males can follow a female individual. Who sometimes, in cruel battles, win for themselves the honor of being the father of future offspring. The place where the offspring should appear is prepared by the mother in advance. She finds a secluded hole and lines it with bird feathers, dry herbs and animal hair for future kittens. The gestation period lasts from 60 to 70 days.

The litter usually occurs from the end of April to June, it depends on the geographical location of the lynx. The average weight of a newborn kitten is 300 grams. Babies are born blind and deaf. Over time, these feelings develop fully. They feed exclusively on mother's milk until the formation of baby teeth. After two months of age, the babies begin to be fed with food that their mother gets. Feeding with milk continues for several more months until the lynx cubs are fully strengthened. The male does not take any part in raising the offspring. After three months, the kittens begin their first forays out of the den and follow their mother everywhere.

The color of the young offspring is light brown. True coloring appears only at nine months of age. A features in the form of “whiskers” and tassels on the ears appear only at the age of one and a half years in already matured lynx cubs.

The family continues its common existence until the next rut. If for some reason. The female did not bear offspring, then the family remains together for one more term. Lynxes become sexually mature at the age of 1.5-2 years.

The average life expectancy in nature for a lynx is 12-15 years. Long-livers are considered to be individuals that live up to 20 years; such cases have been recorded by lovers of the animal world.

In Russian zoos, the lynx is a permanent resident and is not rare species. It adapts well to life and reproduction in captivity.

The breeding season, just like in nature, falls at the end of spring and beginning of summer. Since they do not have to move in search of food, they mostly sleep. Things are different with kittens; these restless little ones have destructive and omnipresent abilities. They are usually activated in evening time. Their restlessness continues for up to 1.5 years.

In zoos predatory cats trained to the tray.

After breastfeeding, they feed exclusively meat. Rabbit, veal, turkey, chicken. An adult eats up to three kilograms of meat per day, and up to five in winter.

The lynx is one of the most graceful and dangerous predators cat family. This graceful animal has luxurious fur, tufted ears, a short, stump-like tail, and deadly claws. The average individual reaches up to one meter in length, and the weight of the animal ranges from 8 to 15 kilograms. The paws of lynxes are wide and well-furred. This allows them to move quickly and silently through the snow.

The habitat of these animals is concentrated in the northern regions. Previously, lynxes inhabited all of Europe, but were almost completely destroyed.

The diet of lynxes is quite varied: they hunt hares, hazel grouse, foxes, moose, deer, beavers and partridges. The lynx is helped to track prey without being noticed by its special spotted coloring, which perfectly camouflages it among the trees. Camouflage works especially well in dark time days. The lynx chooses massive boulders and fallen trunks for cover, and sometimes climbs a tree and watches the prey from above. The predator suddenly attacks its prey, which has lost its vigilance, with huge leaps. The lynx does not eat all the meat at once, but hides some of it “in reserve.”

As a rule, these big cats do not attack people without reason. Even when faced with a hunter, the lynx prefers to hide rather than defend itself. But if the predator does dig in with its claws, the wounds are most often fatal.

As you know, due to its small numbers, the lynx is listed in the Red Book. On this moment The extermination of this species has been stopped, and fairly successful attempts are being made to increase the lynx population.

Video: Domestic lynx Button. You can tame a lion, let alone a lynx. See the story of Christian the Lion of London.

Video: Hare and lynx.

Comment from YouTube: “ They write correctly - the lynx is young and inexperienced.

Lynxes have a small heart; they cannot run energetically and for a long time (they couldn’t even stand it for 3 minutes). Her style is one precise jump on her back - to attack from an ambush or from a tree above the path, where she can wait patiently and for a long time for her prey. The lynx usually hunts at night, but prefers to rest during the day. But the hare was seasoned, experienced, cold-blooded - it overtook him a little - he jumped into the snow and confused him.))»

Cm. big photo and pictures from the life of a lynx:

In ancient times, the lynx was given 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 magical properties this representative of the felines. When studying various constellations, you can find a lot interesting information about a small but very beautiful one, 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. Taste qualities the meat of this animal has always been famous and it is also known about its medicinal properties. Fur was very popular in past centuries, and even today. Expensive fur coats are made from it.

Due to all the hunting manipulations, she's in some European countries was completely exterminated, and in the rest of the world the population declined 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 snow drifts and does not fall through like other animals. He usually lives in the taiga, forest steppes, tundras, 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, middle lane Russia, Kamchatka and Sakhalin. But the lynx also lives in Finland, Spain, and Croatia. Sometimes you can find the animal in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The lynx loves open space and adapts well to wildlife, hunts wild animals smaller than it.

Lynx: description

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

Those interested in these felines primarily want to know things like:

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

Subspecies

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

Nutrition

This type of predator, like everyone else, they eat mainly meat. The animal's diet is based on hares, birds, and small rodents. But the lynx can also hunt larger individuals - deer, elk, wild boar. If a cat lives in places where there are large bodies of water, it can catch 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 her future victim for a long time, studying habits and character, and only after that she attacks. She does it sharply as it should, making several long jumps of two to three meters each . If the lynx fails to catch 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 enough of its prey, it usually buries it in the ground or hides it in the snow. Sometimes following the lynx other predators walk around and pick up half-eaten remains.

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

Reproduction

Usually mating season in lynx it begins at the end of winter - in February, and continues until the beginning of 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 make a den; they organize it several hours before the appearance of offspring. As a home, animals choose tree hollows located at a height of at least ten to fifteen meters from the ground or splits in 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 small size, blind and helpless. They are born weighing no more than three hundred grams, but quickly gain weight afterward.

Lynxes live in the wild usually from fifteen to twenty years. If they are in captivity, their lifespan 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 creeping up to it.

Taxonomy

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

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. In Russia, especially in Siberia, lynx are still quite common.

Species and man

Once upon a time the lynx lived on much larger territory than at present. Hunting and deforestation have led to a significant reduction in its range. For a long time, the lynx was a coveted hunting trophy, as the fur of this animal was 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 be settled in the places where it once lived, caught in the territories of other states, and released 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 selective role in the wild.

This cat is not afraid of being close to humans; where it is not being pursued, it can appear on the outskirts of villages and even cities.

Small lynx cubs are easily tamed, but with age they run wild, so this rather large cat cannot be kept at home.

Distribution and habitats

The lynx is the most “northern” cat. The distribution area of ​​the common lynx covers forest and mountainous areas 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 unique, unlike any other representatives of the cat family. Almost all cats have an elongated body, shortened legs; the lynx, on the contrary, has a relatively short body and high, strong legs. Thick hair on the shaggy thick paws even grows between the pads of the toes. 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 slightly larger than females. The head has elongated hair on the sides of the muzzle, forming “whiskers,” and characteristic tufts on the tops of the ears. The tail is short, as if chopped off at the end. The wool is very thick and soft, especially in winter. The color of the top of the body and head is dominated by reddish and ashy tones, the bottom is white, and small spots are scattered throughout the body. Summer fur is shorter and coarser than winter fur, more intensely colored, with more clearly defined spots. The tail always has a dark tip, and the ear tufts are also dark. Northern lynxes have a more uniform and dull coloring, while lynxes living in the south, on the contrary, have a bright coloration, with pronounced spotting.

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

Lifestyle and social behavior

Lynx is a territorial animal. Wide migrations are unusual for it: where there is a lot of prey, this animal lives completely sedentary. The average area of ​​a lynx's territory in Europe ranges from 15 to 25 thousand hectares, with some males reaching 30 thousand hectares or more. The females' home ranges are smaller and overlap those of the males. If there is a lack of food, lynxes leave their homes, go on wanderings and can appear even far away in the forest-steppe. Most often, such migrations of predators occur during periods of depression in the number of white hares, which form the basis of the lynx’s diet.

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

Lynx dwellings are located in the most secluded places: remote areas of forest with windbreaks, overgrown islands among swamps. The den itself is made under the roots of fallen trees, sometimes in a low-lying large hollow, in the voids between stones. For temporary roosts, the predator chooses places with good review: leaning tree trunk, large stone.

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

Nutrition and feeding behavior

Like all felines, the lynx is a specialized predator. Its diet is based on medium-sized animals: small ungulates (roe deer, musk deer, goral, deer and their cubs), hares and grouse (grouse, grouse, hazel grouse). The lynx regularly catches small rodents and birds. Before carrion, this cat is a small hunter; she prefers the meat of animals killed by herself.

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

The lynx eats quite a bit - it daily norm- about one and a half kilograms of meat with bones. Typically, an adult animal catches and eats a hare once every 2–4 days; a brood of this amount of food is only enough for one day. A lynx stays near a killed roe deer for about a week, and near a sika deer - even longer. The predator buries the uneaten remains of its prey with snow or earth and grass, but does it so sloppily that its “burial” is very quickly taken away by smaller predators - sable, weasel. The wolverine follows the lynx, as a more successful hunter, and sometimes drives it away from freshly caught game. The lynx itself often chases foxes, not allowing them to hunt in their area.

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 raising of offspring

The rutting season for lynxes occurs in February-March. A female in heat can be followed by several males, between whom fierce fights occur from time to time. The den in which the kittens should appear is usually lined with bird feathers, ungulate hair, and 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 latitude of the area. The weight of kittens at birth is 250–300 grams, they are blind, and the auditory openings are covered with skin. All care for the offspring falls entirely on the female; the male does not take part in raising the cubs. The mother licks the kittens, keeps the nest clean, and removes large predators from the nest. For the first two months, lynx cubs feed almost exclusively on milk. By this age, the formation of their milk teeth has completed, 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 color tone of the young is light brown, spotting is expressed only on the paws. The “adult” fur pattern develops only by the age of nine months; the “sideburns” and tufts on the ears are fully developed only in one and a half year old lynx cubs. The family remains until the next rut, and the kittens continue to stay in one group even after the adults, ready for mating, drive them away. If a female does not give birth to cubs this 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 at the Moscow Zoo

Lynxes have been kept at the Moscow Zoo since its founding. These long-legged beauties invariably attract the attention of visitors while walking in their enclosures, which are located on the Old Territory in Cat Row next to the Giraffe Pavilion. True, seeing a lynx is not as simple a task as it seems. Our cats, and a couple of lynxes now live in the zoo, go 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, curled up comfortably on hay mats, they sleep peacefully, only opening their eyes from time to time and lazily looking around the property. What are they interested in? Someone might think that visitors are wrong. Even the keepers, who clean the enclosure and bring food every day, are treated more than coolly by our lynxes. They recognize you, 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 skillfully. To prevent our pets from getting bored, employees from time to time place various toys in the enclosure. Like for domestic cats, only larger in size. However, our female plays best with... ordinary pumpkins! He happily chews them into small crumbs. The male treats most of the proposed entertainment with lukewarmness. Some time ago, keepers began training with our lynxes using a special technique. From the outside, it resembles a game - a person, standing next to the enclosure, offers his ward an object attached to a long stick - a 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 it received encouragement. Then the same target was presented indoors. The animal had to repeat its actions, going inside to do this. The purpose of these classes was not to train the cat, but to make it easier for the keepers to work with it, who find it much easier to explain to the animal what actions are required of it.

In 2017, lynxes gave birth to kittens