Characteristics

Paolo Molinari
Characteristics of lynx

 

  • Appearance: Long-legged cat, grey or reddish fur, often with black spots or rosettes, ear tufts (4 cm), short tail with black tip (20-25 cm).
  • Size: Adult males 20-26 kg, females 17-22 kg.
  • Distribution: Europe and Asia; from the Himalayas to the northern treeline.
  • Habitat: boreal and temperate forests, in Central Asia also in treeless mountains.
  • Spatial structure and social organisation: Solitary and territorial, females and males overlapping but exclusive to same-sex animals.
  • Mating season: March – April
  • Gestation: ~70 days.
  • Litter size: 2 (1-5) kittens, staying with the mother for 10 months, followed by emigration.
  • Nutrition: roe deer, red deer, chamois, occasionally foxes, livestock, small mammals. 50-60 ungulates per lynx/year.
  • In Italy the lynx is listed among the species with special protection status in the species protection and hunting law 157/1992 (Article 2).
  • Bern Convention: A II
  • EU Habitats Directives: A II, A IV
  • CITES: A II,
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern LC