Mammals of the WorldEurasian Lynx
Lynx lynx
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Felidae
- Genus
- Lynx
- IUCN status
- LC
- Distribution
- France|Switzerland|Liechtenstein|Germany|Austria|Czech Republic|Poland|Slovakia|Hungary|Slovenia|Croatia|Bosnia and Herzegovina|Montenegro?|Serbia?|Kosovo?|Greece?|Bulgaria|Romania|Moldova?|Ukraine|Lithuania|Latvia|Estonia|Norway|Sweden|Finland|Russia|Georgia|Armenia|Azerbaijan|Turkey|Iraq|Iran|Turkmenistan|Uzbekistan|Kazakhstan|Kyrgyzstan|Tajikistan|Afghanistan|Pakistan|India|Nepal|Bhutan?|China|Mongolia|North Korea
- Realm
- Palearctic
About this species
- Diet
- Hares, rodents, birds, and medium-sized ungulates
- Habitat
- Rocky steppe, forest-steppe, boreal forest, and mountain forest
- Range
- Europe through Central Asia and Siberia
- Litter size
- Usually 2
- Gestation
- 67–74 days
The Eurasian lynx is the largest living lynx. It has long powerful legs, broad furred paws, black ear tufts, a grey-and-white facial ruff, and a short tail ending in an entirely black tip. The summer coat is reddish or brown with a highly variable pattern of black spots; the denser winter coat is silver-grey to grey-brown. Its large paws spread weight on snow. The combination of ear tufts, short black-tipped tail, and long-legged build separates it from Mongolia's other wild cats. (Wikipedia, general species account)
The species occupies rugged terrain with cover for stalking, including rocky steppe, forest-steppe, boreal forest, and mountain forest. Adults are solitary and mainly active at dusk or at night, scent-marking their hunting ranges and travelling considerable distances. Eurasian lynx stalk and ambush prey ranging from hares and rodents to deer and other ungulates. In mountains they may descend in winter as prey moves lower and snow deepens. Mating occurs from January to April; gestation lasts 67–74 days and two kittens are usual. The source did not identify a specific Mongolian locality. (Wikipedia, general species account)
Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)