DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Europe and Asia. Large, dense, deciduous and mixed forest areas and conifers, both in the lowlands and in the mountains.
BEHAVIOUR
Mostly hunts at dawn and at dusk. Eurasian lynx is a loner outside of his reproductive years. It ambushes or jumps on prey instead of chasing it. Sometimes it lurks in the thick branches of trees. Avoids water, but in the face of danger, lynx is great in water.
DIET
European lynx hunts deer, roe deer, hares, rabbits, beavers and less often birds. An adult’s daily food requirement is up to 2.5 kg of meat.
REPRODUCTION
Lynx reaches sexual maturity at the age of 2-3 years. Gestation lasts 67 to 74 days. After this period, the female gives birth to 2 to 3 cubs and feeds with milk until 4 months of age. In the wild lynx live up to 17 years, in captivity even up to 25.
GOOD TO KNOW
The brushes on the lynx’s ears have thin and flexible hair with a very important function: they focus sound waves and lead them to the lynx’s ears, like an antenna, thanks to which the animal hears very well.
In the past the lynx commonly inhabited the Polish land. Nowadays the population of these animals in Poland has reduced to about 200 specimens. The appropriate habitat and food are decisive factors that these mammals require to inhabit a natural area. The cat’s population is getting lower due to migration barriers such as road networks and fences.
- Latin name: Lynx lynx
- IUCN –Red List – LC – least concern
- CITES – Appendix II
- ESB – European Studbook
