Feature Article January 29, 2004
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The Lynx
I recently received a report of a sighting north and east of Perth of this uncommon animal. This 'gray ghost of the north' looks a lot like its smaller cousin, the Bobcat. The two animals are similar in appearance, though the Lynx is larger, with longer legs, more pointed ears which are tipped with a noticeable pencil of hairs, and a buffy grey coat that is less distinctly spotted than that of the Bobcat. The short tail of the Lynx has a complete black tip whereas the slightly longer tail of the Bobcat has only a black spot on its upper surface, usually preceded by a series of black bands. The thickly furred paws of the Lynx are larger and more rounded than those of the smaller cat, and in the winter these act like snowshoes as its long legs help it to move quickly through deep snow.
Preferring old growth dense forest, the Lynx will move into other areas where there is sufficient undercover and where prey is plentiful. The cat is a specialist in hunting its favourite prey, the Snowshoe Hare, usually captured by stalking or ambush. The predator-prey relationship of these two species is so strong, that their populations fall and rise together. Hare populations tend to follow a 10-year cycle of going from abundance to scarcity, and the Lynx populations follows a similar cycle, with the peaks and valleys lagging behind those of the hares by about one or two years. While in the scarcity of hares the adult Lynx will usually survive by turning to other animals such as rodents, squirrels, grouse or even fawns, their kittens will not.
Like other cats, it may meow when lonely, though it seems to prefer its solitude. During mating season, it will give vent to its affection with a hair-raising shriek or scream that ends in a prolonged wail. One or two, or as many as six kittens will be born in late spring, reared solely by the mother, and will remain with her through their first winter.
The main predators of the Lynx are wolves and men. The thick pelts with long silky fur are valuable, but trappers have realized that limits must be imposed during times of low populations so that the animals can rebound. Its Canadian population appears to be stable, but in those few areas of the northern United States where it ranges the animal is classed as threatened.
Observations: Pat Johnston, near Verona, has a nice selection of birds visiting her feeder, which quickly disappear when a shrike (probably a Northern) appears. A Bald Eagle was seen on January 20 near Snow Road. With the snow, now is the time to watch for animal tracks (a Flying Squirrel track starting in the middle of my lawn - where did it 'fly' from), Share what you see. Contact Jean at 268-2518, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The monthly meeting of the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists is February 1 at 2 p.m. at the Perth Civitan Hall, Hwy 43, east of Perth. The guest speaker is Dr. Nancy Doubleday, Carleton University, who will speak about ecosystems (including wetlands) and their importance. All welcome.
