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The lynx population in Finland was 1900–2100 individuals in 2008, and the numbers have been increasing every year since 1992. The lynx population in Finland is estimated currently to be larger than ever before. [33] Lynx in Britain were wiped out in the 17th century, but there have been calls to reintroduce them to curb the numbers of deer. [34]
A member of this family is called a felid. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The term "cat" refers both to felids in general and specifically to domestic cats . The characteristic features of cats have evolved to support a carnivorous lifestyle, with adaptations for ambush or stalking and short pursuit hunting.
The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) or Canadian lynx is one of the four living species in the genus Lynx. It is a medium-sized wild cat characterized by long, dense fur, triangular ears with black tufts at the tips, and broad, snowshoe-like paws. Its hindlimbs are longer than the forelimbs, so its back slopes downward to the front.
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is one of the four extant species within the medium-sized wild cat genus Lynx. It is widely distributed from Northern, Central and Eastern Europe to Central Asia and Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. It inhabits temperate and boreal forests up to an elevation of 5,500 m (18,000 ft).
All members of the cat family have the following characteristics in common: They are digitigrade and have five toes on their forefeet and four on their hind feet. Their curved claws are protractile and attached to the terminal bones of the toe with ligaments and tendons. The claws are guarded by cutaneous sheaths, except in the Acinonyx. [12]
Lynx baileyi proposed by Clinton Hart Merriam in 1890 was a female lynx that was shot in the San Francisco Mountains. [8] Lynx texensis proposed by Joel Asaph Allen in 1895 to replace the earlier name Lynx rufus var. maculatus. [9] Lynx gigas proposed by Outram Bangs in 1897 was a skin of an adult male lynx shot near Bear River, Nova Scotia. [10]
The Canada lynx is a protected species in 14 US states constituting the southern part of its historic range, but the hybrids are not protected and may be shot by hunters. However, some of odd-looking Lynx may be colour morphs of either bobcats or Canada lynx rather than hybrids. This poses the danger that protected Canada lynx are being killed.
Northern lynx prey largely on small to fairly large sized mammals and birds. Among the recorded prey items are European and mountain hares, rabbits, red squirrels, Siberian flying squirrels, dormice, mice, mustelids (such as martens), grouse, red foxes, raccoon dogs, wild boar, roe deer, moose, red deer and other medium-sized ungulates.