Canada lynx
What are the physical characteristics of the Canada lynx?
Where is the Canada lynx found?
What is the primary diet of the Canada lynx?
How does the Canada lynx reproduce?
What is the conservation status of the Canada lynx?
Canada lynx, (Lynx canadensis), medium-sized North American lynx species, similar to the bobcat in appearance but with longer legs, wider feet, longer ear tufts, and a more prominent black-tipped tail. The Canada lynx is native to Canada, Alaska, and parts of the northern contiguous United States. Although some experts have proposed two subspecies (L. canadensis subsolanus in Newfoundland and L. canadensis canadensis throughout the range except in Newfoundland), most authorities regard the Canada lynx as monotypic (that is, it has no subgroups). This secretive and solitary wildcat has long been hunted and trapped for its fur, although its population remains relatively stable.
Distribution and habitat
The Canada lynx is found throughout the forested regions of Alaska and Canada. In the U.S. these cats inhabit subalpine coniferous forests in the west and areas where coniferous and deciduous forests meet in the east. Their range extends along the Rocky Mountains into the state of Colorado and also includes parts of the Great Lakes and New England regions. While the northern part of the species’ range has remained largely intact, the southern limit of its distribution has contracted due to human activities and habitat loss. The distribution of the Canada lynx is closely tied to the occurrence of its main prey—the snowshoe hare. The lynx does not occur in regions where the hare has a density of less than 0.5 individuals per hectare (or about 1 per 5 acres).
These felines are well-adapted to snow and can be found at elevations of 1,500–3,500 meters (about 5,000 to 11,500 feet). They prefer old-growth and regenerating forests with a thick understory, rocky areas, and marshlands, and tend to avoid open spaces. Females give birth and raise their young in dens constructed in fallen logs, living trees, or boulder and slash piles. These dens are often lined with conifer needles and forest litter. Females may have dens in close proximity—typically within 107 to 2,700 meters (350 to 8,900 feet) of one another—and their home ranges are smaller than those of males, averaging 75 square km (29 square miles). By comparison, the average home range of a male Canada lynx is 150 square km (58 square miles).
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- Scientific name: Lynx canadensis
- Habitat and range: Native to the boreal and deciduous forests, mountains, and grasslands of Europe and Asia
- Dimensions: Weight 8–17.3 kg (18–38 pounds), length 67–107 cm (26–42 inches), height at the shoulders 61 cm (24 inches)
- Diet: Primarily hunts snowshoe hares, which constitute 35–100 percent of its diet
- Conservation status: Species of Least Concern (as of 2024)
Physical features
The Canada lynx is the larger and taller of the two lynx species found in North America (the other species being the bobcat). The weight of an adult Canada lynx ranges from 8 to 17.3 kg (about 18 to 38 pounds), and its length ranges from 67 to 107 cm (about 26 to 42 inches). Its height at the shoulder is 61 cm (24 inches) on average. Its black-tipped tail averages 9.5–12.5 cm (3.7–4.9 inches) in length. Females are slightly smaller than males. The coat of the Canada lynx is thick and gray in the winter but becomes thinner and reddish-brown in the summer. Like the bobcat, the Canada lynx has tufted ears, a facial ruff, and a short tail. However, these features differ between the two species. For example, the bobcat’s coat is more prominently spotted and striped than that of the Canada lynx (see also bobcat).
The hind legs of the Canada lynx are slightly longer than its forelegs, which gives the animal a stooping gait when it moves. Its large, densely furred paws act like snowshoes, supporting its weight on snow and allowing for easy movement.
Behavior and ecology
Reproduction and development
Canada lynx breed between March and May. A female produces a litter of one to eight kittens after a gestation of 60–70 days. Kittens nurse for about five months but may start consuming meat at one month after birth. They remain with their mother until the next breeding season, although siblings may stay and hunt together longer. Outside breeding pairs and family groups, lynx are solitary. While females may reach sexual maturity by 10 months of age, most do not breed until about 23 months old. Males typically start breeding in their second year. Reproduction in the Canada lynx is tied to the availability of its main prey, the snowshoe hare. If snowshoe hare numbers are low, females may not breed or may even spontaneously miscarry.
These cats can live for 16 years in the wild. In captivity, they are known to survive longer. The oldest-known captive Canada lynx was nearly 27 years old when it died.
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Diet
Snowshoe hare make up 35 to 100 percent of the Canada lynx’s diet. It is estimated that the lynx needs 0.4–0.5 snowshoe hare per day to meet its daily energy needs. When the hare population declines sharply, the lynx can switch to birds (including ruffed grouse, ducks, sparrows, and ptarmigans) and smaller mammals (including squirrels—primarily the red squirrel, mice, shrews, voles, porcupines, beavers, and muskrats). Larger animals, such as white-tailed deer, reindeer, mule deer, Dall’s sheep, and even carnivores such as red foxes, ermines, and weasels, may also become prey. The Canada lynx may occasionally hunt domesticated animals such as cats, dogs, chickens, and cattle, and may also feed on carrion when food is scarce.
An ambush predator, the Canada lynx can lie in wait for its prey for hours. It usually hunts at night, relying more on sight and hearing than on sense of smell to catch prey. It can travel large distances—as much as 1,200 km (750 miles) or longer—in search of snowshoe hare.
The populations of the snowshoe hare and the Canada lynx oscillate in cycles that span roughly 10 years. The density of the hare increases, followed by an increase in lynx density with a lag of about one to two years. Estimates suggest that Canada lynx density can increase by as much as 17 times when snowshoe hare are abundant. The hare population crashes after reaching a peak, and so does the lynx population. Snowfall, solar activity, and forest fires influence the climate and the availability of suitable habitats and food resources for the snowshoe hare, which affect hare densities. This, in turn, influences the cyclical waxing and waning of the Canada lynx population.
Ecological and economic value
The Canada lynx plays an important role in controlling the population of the snowshoe hare, and the lynx, in turn, is controlled by the density of its prey. It is valued commercially for its soft and thick fur, and its pelt has been harvested since 1700. Thousands of this species were trapped and killed annually during the 19th century. Although those numbers have been decreasing since the 1980s, when regulations came into effect to limit harvesting, trapping it for fur is still permissible across a large part of its range. Canada lynx pelts sold for almost 200 Canadian dollars (about $140 [U.S.]) per pelt in 2024.
For the Ojibwe people of North America, the giant lynx, called Mishipeshu or Mishipizhiw, is an underwater dragonlike creature with a part-feline, part-reptilian body that guards copper and creates whirlpools and waves.
Conservation status
The Canada lynx is no longer found in many areas that it previously inhabited—its range has declined by 40 percent in North America. Most of this decline occurred during the European colonization of the continent. Breeding populations are found in northeastern Minnesota, northern Maine, northern New Hampshire, north-central Washington, northwestern Montana, and northern Idaho. The species was successfully reintroduced in Colorado at the end of the 20th century, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed plans for its recovery in the lower 48 states.
Populations of the Canada lynx in North America are not under existential threat despite being regularly hunted for their fur. In the U.S. hunting and trapping these cats for their pelts is permissible only in Alaska. In Canada trapping is strongly regulated in keeping with the natural rise and fall of the lynx population. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Canada lynx as a species of least concern. However, the species is included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which lists animals that might suffer a serious decline in number if trade is not restricted.
Habitat loss and fragmentation and a warming climate are the lynx’s main threats. Some animals are also killed by collision with vehicles each year. The Canada lynx faces some competition with coyotes and predation by wolves.