Canada Lynx

Abstract

What is a Canada lynx? The Canada lynx is a secretive, forest-dwelling cat of northern latitudes and high mountains. The Canada lynx is a medium-sized cat, similar to the bobcat. It has longer legs and very large well-furred paws, impressive adaptations for maneuvering through deep winter snow. It also has long tufts on the ears and a short, black-tipped tail. What is the range of the lynx? The historical and present North American range of the Canada lynx includes Alaska, Canada, and many of the other northern 48 States. Therefore, it is difficult to determine either the historic or current location of resident lynx populations. The range of the lynx includes the following 14 States: What do Canada lynx eat? Lynx are highly specialized to hunt their primary prey, the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). The lynx's long legs and large feet act like snowshoes so they can effectively track and catch hares. In fact, in most places, lynx are so tied to snowshoe hares that lynx populations rise and fall in cycle with snowshoe hare numbers. Lynx also will eat mice, voles, and birds. What kind of habitat do lynx require? Older, mature forests with downed trees and windfalls provide cover for denning sites, escape, and protection from severe weather. Lynx feed primarily on snowshoe hare, which live in dense thickets of younger trees and shrubs. In the Great Lakes area and the northeastern United States, lynx habitat is forest that is a mix of evergreens and hardwoods, such as maple and birch. In the Rocky Mountains and Cascade Mountains, lynx live in the spruce/fir forests of the high mountains. What is threatening the lynx? Canada lynx likely have never been as abundant in the lower 48 States as they were in northern Canada and Alaska because there is less lynx and snowshoe hare habitat at the southern part of the range. The lynx occurs predominantly on Federal lands, especially in the West. The Service concluded that the threat to the lynx in the contiguous United States is the lack of guidance to conserve the species in current Federal land management plans. The agency is working with other Federal Agencies to conserve lynx habitat. What is being done to protect the lynx? Because forests are constantly changing, the lynx habitat of today may not be lynx habitat in the future without careful planning. It is important that current forest management …