A medium-sized wild cat with oversized snowshoe-like paws and dramatic tufted ears. Their populations rise and fall in dramatic 10-year cycles tied directly to snowshoe hare abundance — one of ecology's textbook predator-prey relationships.

Also called: Canadian Lynx, Northern Lynx

Native status: Native; threatened in lower 48

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 53–88 cm (21–35 in); tail 28–45 cm
WeightMales 8–16 kg (18–35 lb); females 6–12 kg
LifespanWild 8–13 years; captive 18
OrderCarnivora
FamilyFelidae

§ Encyclopedia

The Canada lynx or Canadian lynx is one of the four living species in the genus Lynx. It is a medium-sized wild cat characterized by long, dense fur, triangular ears with black tufts at the tips, and broad, snowshoe-like paws. Its hindlimbs are longer than the forelimbs, so its back slopes downward to the front. The Canada lynx stands 48–56 cm (19–22 in) tall at the shoulder and weighs between 5 and 17 kg. It is a good swimmer and an agile climber.

Source: Wikipedia — Canada lynx Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Gray-tan cat with prominent black ear tufts and distinctive black-tipped tail. Larger paws than bobcats.

Similar species. Bobcat (smaller paws, banded tail). Other Lynx species (different ranges).

Voice. Yowls, growls, hisses.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Hunts almost exclusively snowshoe hare. Population cycles in 10-year cycles tracking hare abundance.

Behavior. Solitary, mostly nocturnal. Massive paws act as snowshoes on deep snow. Specialist hunter — cannot easily switch to other prey when hares crash.

§ Range

Boreal Canada and northern US (Maine, MN, MT, WA, ID, CO)

§ Habitat

Dense boreal and montane forests with deep winter snow

§ Threats

Habitat fragmentation by roads, climate-driven snowpack reduction, illegal trapping, reduced hare cycles.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the canada lynx is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Support wildlife crossings. Avoid snowmobile use in lynx-critical habitat. Donate to recovery programs in Maine and the Rockies.

Support our work More ways to help

§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • USFWS Canada Lynx Recovery
  • National Park Service
  • The Lynx Centre
  • IUCN Red List 2015