Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
though, the lynx is the mammalian equivalent of the owl—surprisingly little weight in comparison to
apparent size.
Most lynx weigh in the range of fifteen to thirty pounds, with the low end of that range not much
bigger than a large house cat. And, despite all appearances to the contrary, the average bobcat actually
outweighs the average lynx. Most bobcats weigh between fifteen and thirty-five pounds, although a
very large male will sometimes top forty pounds; as with the lynx, however, many bobcats aren't much
heavier than a big household tabby.
In temperament, too, appearance belies reality. The lynx looks much larger and fiercer than the bob-
cat, but whenever the two cats encounter each other in the wild, it's nearly always the less aggressive
lynx that gives way.
All of this makes considerable sense when habitat and prey requirements of the two species are con-
sidered. The lynx is very much a creature of the boreal forests, where winters are long, the snow soft
and deep, and the cold fearfully penetrating. From the Arctic portions of Alaska and the Northwest Ter-
ritories to all but the northernmost extremity of Labrador, it roams the vast wilderness and endures the
harsh winters of the far north. Only in northern bits of the Great Lakes states, parts of the Rocky Moun-
tains, some of the Cascades, and possibly the farther reaches of Maine does this northern denizen reside
in the lower forty-eight states.
The lynx's most prominent features come into sharp focus as wonderful adaptations for survival in
this unforgiving northland climate. Consider its fur coat, for example—the pelage that makes its owner
look so much larger than it really is. Because of this coat, the brutal Arctic cold presents little problem
for the lynx, provided always that it can obtain enough food to fuel its body. It would be hard to find
a more magnificent pelt than the long, incredibly soft and dense fur of the lynx. Insulated by that won-
derful covering, the lynx can easily withstand the bitter cold so prevalent throughout its range.
Then there are those huge feet—great furry pads about as large as those of a cougar. These act as
snowshoes to prevent the lynx from becoming mired in the deep snow of frigid northern winters. Des-
pite these “snowshoes,” however, the lynx often sinks a considerable distance into the dry, powdery
snow. Then its long legs come to the rescue.
One of the reasons why the lynx weighs so little in relation to its apparent size is the length of its legs,
yet another adaptation for life in the far north. These seem ridiculously long—for a cat, at least—yet
they're invaluable for survival: those long legs prevent its body from dragging deeply in the snow.
All of these adaptations come into play when the lynx pursues its principal food source, the snow-
shoe hare. Although the lynx will prey on other creatures when hares are scarce, the cat's ultimate fate
is inextricably bound to that of the long-eared, big-footed hare. Indeed, so narrow are the lynx's food
preferences that it dines on hare to the virtual exclusion of everything else as long as hares are abund-
ant. Only out of sheer necessity does the big-footed cat turn to alternative prey.
The aptly named snowshoe hare is notably cyclical, especially the farther north one travels. Hares go
through a boom-and-bust cycle roughly every ten years, gradually building up year by year to well-nigh
