Habitat: Dense wooded mountains and rocky areas

Diet: Northern range: mostly snowshoe hare; Southern range: other small mammals and birds

Reproduction: The mating system of these animals is not reported. However, female home ranges are usually encompassed by the home range of a male, and the home ranges of multiple females may overlap. This distribution of females, in conjunction with the slight sexual dimorphism, indicates that the species is probably polygamous.

Females enter estrus only once per year and raise one litter per year. Estrus lasts 1 to 2 days. Mating in February and March is followed by a gestation period of from 8 to 10 weeks. Litters typically have 2 or 3 kittens, though the number may range from 1 to 5. Lynx weigh about 200 g at birth. Lactation lasts for 5 months, although kittens eat some meat as early as one month of age.

Males do not participate in parental care. Young remain with the mother until the following winter's mating season, and siblings may remain together for a while after separation from the mother. Females reach sexual maturity at 21 months and males at 33 months.

Physical Description: Lynx are covered with beautiful thick fur that keeps them warm during frigid winters. Their large paws are also furry and hit the ground with a spreading toe motion that makes them function as natural snowshoes.

Behavior: These solitary cats have natural snowshoes! Their broad paws allow them to travel across snow with ease, making them stealthy and successful hunters. Coarse fur warms their paws and aids in the snowshoe effect.

Conservation Status: Threatened

Fun Facts:

	In the wild, lynx have lived as long as 14.5 years. In captivity, lifespans of 26.75 years have been recorded.
	Lynx are primarily visual predators but also have well-developed hearing. They hunt mainly at night. Prey are normally stalked to within a few short bounds and then pounced upon, although some lynx will wait in ambush for hours.
	As predators, Canadian lynx are important in regulating the populations of their prey. This is particularly noticeable in the cycle of populations of lynx and snowshoe hares.