Lynx

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Scientific name:  Felis lynx

Size:  Head and body up to 130cm.  Tail length approx 25cm.

Distribution:  Extinct in the UK

Food:  Carnivore.  Mainly deer, but will also take smaller prey such as rabbits and hares

Life span:  10 to 15 years.

Habitat:  Forests, especially mountainous areas

Special features:  The lynx is a nocturnal, medium sized cat.  The coat is reddish-brown with dark brown spots.  The tail is short with a black tip, and the ears have long, black tufts of fur at the tips.

The Lynx is a solitary animal.  Male and female Lynx only meet during the mating season.  A litter contains between one and four cubs.  Lynx do not build dens.  Instead the mothers place their cubs under a tree or close to rocks.  The young are independent at around 10 months and can live for up to 15 years.

Although Lynx can still be found on mainland Europe, they are extinct in the UK.  Scientists believe this may have occurred around the 10th century as a result of hunting and habitat loss.  The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Lynx as the world’s most endangered cat.

Related Pages

• UK Safari Extinct Wildlife Section
• UK Safari Mammal Section
• What's Out Now?