The Canadian Lynx, a close cousin to the bobcat, is a forest-dwelling cat that historically inhabited coniferous forests of the northeastern United States, the Great Lakes, the Rocky Mountains, and the Cascade Mountains. Due to trapping, habitat loss and the lynx’s sensitivity to humans, there are very few lynx left in the United States. In the lower 48, it is estimated that there are reproducing populations of lynx only in Washington and Montana. In 2000 the Canadian Lynx was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

What does a lynx look like?

A full-grown lynx can weigh up to 40 pounds and measure 3 feet long, which is slightly smaller than a bobcat and males are slightly larger than females. They have a coat that has been described as gray colored with a few violet/black highlights. Similar to a bobcat, they have a "bobbed" or shorter tail but are different from a bobcat because of the prominent tufts on their ears and secondly, their larger paws, which are twice as large as those found on a bobcat, and are covered with fur to keep it from sinking into deep snow. These enlarged feet make lynx highly adapted to hunting snowshoe hares in the deep snow. Lynx are nocturnal and are active all year.

What do lynx eat?

They feed primarily on snowshoe hares, but also will prey on small mammals and birds.

What type of habitat do lynx need?

Lynx are cautious and secretive and tend to avoid large open areas and prefer dense unbroken forest. Also needed are dead and downed logs and windfalls, which provide cover for denning sites, escape from other predators, and protection from severe weather.