When you hear the word ‘lynx’, you probably think of a single type of animal. Those of us in the USA probably pictured a bobcat. Well, there are actually 4 species of lynx and one of them is the bobcat. They all look fairly similar with the smallest being the bobcat and Canadian lynx and the biggest being the Eurasian lynx. What else can we say about these small cats?
While these cats can differ in color and slightly in size, they share many physical similarities. All of them have tufts of hair on their ears and long whiskers. Their paws are large and padded to allow for walking on the snow. As you go further north, the lynx species get thicker fur and wider paws to handle more snow. They have ruffs under their neck and white fur on their bellies, chests, and inner legs. Like all cats, they are carnivores and feed on a variety of animals.
Three of the four species are considered ‘not threatened’, but the Iberian lynx is critically endangered. It has begun to recover in some areas, but still has a long way to go until it is out of danger of extinction. There are several reasons for the Iberian lynx populations shrinking. One is that their main prey are rabbits and various epidemics have reduced their food source. High speed roads were put through the Iberian lynx territory, so they got hit by cars a lot until preventive measures were begun. Then, you have the usual habitat destruction and illegal hunting because OF COURSE those are causes.
Let’s get to the pictures and videos.
Bobcat
Canadian Lynx
Eurasian Lynx
Iberian Lynx
Legends of Windemere 
Our local version is the bobcat, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the lynx show up near the Canadian border on occasion. (It’s a big state.)
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Looks like the lynx does show up in Idaho, Washington, Montana, and Oregon.
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These cats are gorgeous! We had a bobcat show up at our door one winter, here in NC.
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That’s awesome.
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He or she was – we were face to face through the patio door. My cat was not happy though!
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Bobcats are my favorite.
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They’re fun.
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Thanks, Charles. Beautiful cats.
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You’re welcome.
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😊
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Lovely animals.
One other problem with the Iberian Lynx in particular (and other apex predators, like wolves) when people try to reintroduce then, in Europe, is that farmers see them as a threat to their animals. There is a lot of opposition to wolves in Italy and France. Some farmers will shoot them. Not poaching, just, as they see it, protecting their livelyhoods.
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That’s why many programs try to work with local farmers. Seems easier with herbivores.
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They’re not going to eat your sheep. But some people have been concerned about beavers, even though it’s been shown that their activity is positive.
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