Lynx and it's appearance

Lynx 

Lynx is any of the four genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle-English via Latin from Greek word "lunx", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes. There is considerable confusion about the best way to classify felids at present, and some authorities classify them as part of the genusFelis. The caracal, despite sometimes being called Persian lynx or African lynx, does not belong to this genus.

Appearance

   Lynx have short tails and characteristic tufts of black hair on the tip of their ears.They have a ruff under the neck, which has black bars (not very visible), resembling a bow tie. They have large padded paws for walking on snow, and long whiskers on the face.

    The large body colour varies from medium brown to gold-ish to beige-white; and occasionally, is marked with dark brown spots, especially on the limbs. All species of lynx also have white fur on their chests, bellies and on the insides of their legs, which are extensions of the chest and belly fur. Also, the lynx's colouring, fur height and paw size varies by its climate range—in the Southwestern United States, the fur and colour are short-haired, dark and the paws are smaller and less padded; as the lynx ranges to its colder northern climates, the fur gets progressively thicker (for warmth), the colour gets lighter (for camouflage) and its paws enlarge and become more padded (for snowy environments). Their paws may become larger than a human hand or foot.

   They have extremely good hearing and have 28 teeth, which stab deeply into their prey. This can be especially helpful to the lynx because they are not the most efficient hunters and they lose most of their prey to a variety of factors.

   The smallest species are the bobcat and the Canada lynx, while the largest is the Eurasian lynx, however there are considerable variations within species.

Canadian Lynx vs Snowshoe Hare

Bobcat

Bobcat

The Bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American wildcat. With twelve recognized subspecies, bobcats are common throughout southern Canada, continental United States, and northern Mexico. The Bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits  deciduous, coniferous, or mixed woodlands, but — unlike otherLynx — does not depend exclusively on the deep forest and ranges from swamps and desert lands to mountainous and agricultural areas; its spotted coat serving as camouflage. The population of the Bobcat depends primarily on the population of its prey.Nonetheless, bobcats are often killed by larger predators such as coyotes. 

The Bobcat resembles other species of the Lynx genus but is on average the smallest of the four. Its coat is variable, though generally tan to grayish brown, with black streaks on the body and dark bars on the forelegs and tail. The ears are black-tipped and pointed, with short black tufts. There is generally an off-white color on the lips, chin, and underparts. Bobcats in the desert regions of the southwest have the lightest colored coats, while those in the northern, forested regions are darkest.

Iberian Lynx

Iberian Lynx

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is a critically endangered species native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe.  It is the most endangered cat species in the world.According to the conservation group SOS Lynx, if this species died out, it would be the first feline extinction since the Smilodon 10,000 years ago. The species used to be classified as a subspecies of the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), but is now considered a separate species. Both species occurred together in central Europe in the  Pleistocene epoch, being separated by habitat choice. The Iberian lynx is believed to have evolved from Eurasian Lynx

[edit]Bobcat

Canada Lynx

Canada Lynx

The Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) or Canadian Lynx is a North American felid. It ranges in forest and tundra regions across Canada and into Alaska as well as some parts of the northern United States. By 2010, after an 11 year effort, it had been successfully reintroduced into Colorado where it had become extinct in the 1970s.In 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service designated the Canada Lynx a threatened species in the lower 48 states.

Canada lynx are good climbers and swimmers, they construct rough shelters under fallen trees or rock ledges. Canada lynx have thick coats and broad paws, and are twice as effective as bobcats at supporting their weight on the snow. The Canada lynx's diet is almost exclusive to and dependent on snowshoe hare and their numbers. They will also hunt medium-sized mammals and birds if hare numbers fall.

[edi

Eurasian Lynx

Eurasian Lynx

The Eurasian Lynx

The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is the biggest of the lynxes. It is native to European and Siberian forests. While its conservation status has been classified as "Least Concern", populations of Eurasian lynx have been reduced or extirpated from western Europe, where it is now being reintroduced.

During the summer, the Eurasian lynx has a relatively short, reddish or brown coat, which is replaced by a much thicker silver-grey to greyish-brown coat during winter. The lynx hunts by stalking and jumping its prey, helped by the rugged forested country it resides in. The cat will generally feed on small prey, such as, hares, rabbits, foxes, etc., and switch to larger prey only when food become scarce