Lynx, << lihngks, >> is the name of four kinds of wild cats with sturdy bodies. Lynxes live in parts of Asia, Europe, and North America. The bobcat ranges across much of North America. The Canadian lynx lives in thick forests in Canada and the northern United States. The Eurasian lynx lives in forests of Europe and northern Asia and in open or scrub woodlands of central Asia. The Iberian lynx, also called the Spanish lynx, is one of the world’s most endangered animals. It inhabits scattered woodland areas in Portugal and Spain.
Adult lynxes weigh on average from 20 to 45 pounds (9 to 20 kilograms), considerably larger than most house cats. The Eurasian lynx ranks as the largest of the four species. The Iberian lynx is the smallest. Lynx fur is basically grayish in color, but it also can be yellowish or rust-colored. Most lynxes have black spots covering their bodies. However, these spots are not always clearly visible. The cats possess long tufts of hair on the tips of their pointed ears and ruffs of hair around the sides of their faces. They also have short, black-tipped tails. Large, fur-covered paws serve as snowshoes and enable lynxes to move easily in deep snow.
Lynxes generally sleep during the day and hunt at night. They feed on such animals as rabbits, hares, birds, and occasionally deer. Male and female lynxes mate in late winter or early spring. The female carries the young within her body for about 70 days. She then gives birth to from one to four kittens. The young stay with their mother until they are around 10 months old.
