Eurasian Lynx
Lynx lynx
Photo: Feline Conservation Center
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Eurasian Lynx Lynx lynx Photo: Feline Conservation Center |
Body Length(mm) -800-1300 Weight (kg) - 18-35 Litter Size - 1-5 average Life Span - 17 years Status - Least Concern
L.l.carpathicus - Carpathian Mts, Greece L.l.dinniki - Caucasus Mts, Iran, Turkey L.l.isabellinus - Kashmir to Mongolia L.l.kozlovi - Central Siberia L.l.lynx - N.W.Europe to E.Russia L.lneglectus - Russian Far East, China L.l.wrangeli - Eastern Siberia
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The
Eurasian or Northern lynx is generally much larger than
its Canadian counterpart and in coloration and marking,
more noticeably spotted - although this varies
extensively with its location. The Eurasian lynx was once
found in the forested areas throughout most of Europe,
the Middle East and Asia. However today the range of the
cat has been drastically reduced in Europe and they are
only to be found in some of the northern countries, parts
of Greece and Czechoslovakia. Recently the cat has been
reintroduced to parts of Germany, Switzerland and
Austria, where it is beginning to re-establish. In these
areas though, local farmers and game hunters are
suggesting that the cat is competing for farm animals and
deer population - monitoring of the lynx by conservation
authorities in these areas continues to gain more
information on the cats hunting behaviour and the debate,
which is common in areas were the interests of wild cat
populations is at odds with local inhabitants, seems set
to continue. Further to the east, across Asia, the lynx has a stronger foot hold and are also found in rocky terrain away from forested areas. In general the Eurasian lynx is not so dependent on hare and rabbit as their main source of prey as their North American counterpart, the Canadian lynx. In various studies, deer have been seen to form the major part of the eurasian lynx diet - but in summer months the intake of rabbits increases - again as with the canadian lynx, female lynx seem to take less deer than males. The Eurasian lynx is still hunted in parts of its range and the cat is listed in CITES Appendix 2.
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