The Canada lynx mainly eats snowshoe hares, which make up about 60 to 90% of its diet. This relationship between the lynx and the hares is special because no other cat species is as closely connected to its main food source. 

The numbers of lynx and hares influence each other. When there are many hares, the lynx population grows. However, if the hare numbers drop, lynx have to find other food, like ground squirrels, grouse, or foxes. This shift impacts lynx populations, making them decline. Scientists are not entirely sure why hare populations fluctuate, but they follow a cycle of about 8 to 11 years. During these cycles, the number of hares can increase up to 25 times and then suddenly decrease.

More than 200 years ago, trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company noticed this rise and fall in the numbers of both snowshoe hares and Canada lynx while working in the fur trade.


Scientific Name: Lynx canadensis

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Size: Body length from nose to rump is typically 30 to 40 in., with the tail adding 4 to 6.5 in. onto that. Height at the shoulder is generally 20-24 inches.

Weight: Weight can range from 22 to 42 pounds, with the males generally being larger than females.

Canada Lynx
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Nutrition
Canada lynx primarily feed on snowshoe hares, but may hunt other prey such as ground squirrels, grouse, foxes, and white-tailed deer when hare populations decline.

At the Zoo, lynx are offered a specialized ground carnivore diet and various prey items, including mice, rats, chicks, and rabbits.
Current Range and Historic Range
The Canada lynx is mostly found in Canada, where it lives in 95% of the areas it historically occupied. You can also find them in Alaska and some northern states in the U.S., but they once roamed in 24 states.

According to the IUCN, the Canada lynx is not currently considered endangered and is listed as "Least Concern." However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified certain populations of lynx as "Threatened" in 14 states: these are Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Habitat
Lynx are generally found in boreal forests with cold, snowy winters and a high density of snowshoe hare populations.
Predators and Threats
Predators include larger carnivores that share the same habitat, like cougars, wolves, and coyotes.

The Canada lynx faces several threats, mostly due to human activities. This includes the destruction and loss of its habitat from things like residential and commercial development. As people move into areas that were once quiet and remote, the lynx can lose places to live and hunt. Additionally, conflicts can occur between lynx and domestic animals, like livestock, which can create more problems for these wild cats.
Physical Description and Adaptations
Lynx are medium-sized wild cats that have light brown or gray fur with dark spots and a black tip on their tail. They are known for the tuft of black fur on their ears, which can grow quite long, around one inch. Their thick, shaggy fur keeps them warm in very cold weather. Canada lynx also have large, wide feet that help them walk easily and quietly in deep snow, as they prefer to hunt by ambush. Like other cats, they have sharp claws that can retract, which they use to catch their prey, defend themselves, and climb trees to avoid bigger predators.

As nocturnal hunters, lynx have great hearing and eyesight, making them skilled at finding food in the dark. People sometimes confuse lynx with smaller cats called bobcats.
Reproduction
The breeding cycles of female Canada lynx are linked to prey density and the possibility of meeting a mate. When there is fewer prey animals available, it is harder for them to meet a male, so they only ovulate if they do find one. However, when there are plenty of prey, females are more likely to encounter male lynx, leading to more regular and spontaneous ovulation cycles.

Female lynx generally have one litter each year. After mating, which usually happens in February and March, they are pregnant for about 8 to 10 weeks. The size of the litter can vary from 1 to 8 kittens, and this number is influenced by the population of hares, which are their main food source. Newborn kittens weigh around 200 grams and rely mostly on their mother’s milk for about 5 months, but they may start eating meat when they’re around one month old. Male lynx do not help care for the young.

Kittens stay with their mother until they are about 11 months old, and sometimes they continue to live with their siblings even after they leave her. Females can start having kittens when they are about a little over a year and a halfs old, while males wait until they are closer to three years old. Lynx make nests under rocks, fallen trees, or shrubs to raise their young.
Communication
Lynx communicate in different ways. They use body language, scent marking, and sounds to express themselves. During mating and when a mother is with her kittens, they also use physical contact.
Behaviors
Lynx are mostly animals that live on the ground, but they can climb trees for safety or to escape danger. They are mainly active at night, similar to snowshoe hares, although some lynx might come out during the day. In really harsh winters with lots of snow and very cold temperatures, lynx often hide in thick forests. Like many cats, lynx prefer to be alone, except mothers who stay with their kittens. When hunting, they may move in a line, with one lynx driving the prey toward another lynx that catches it. This could be a way for mothers to teach their young how to hunt.