Range:  British Isles. Northern Asia, eastern Europe Spain and northern Scandinavia.  The Canadian Lynx is found throughout Canada and parts of the US.

Size:   60-75 cms at the shoulder and 80-130 cms in length.

Weight:  Between 18-30 kilos.

Diet:  Small mammals and birds.  Rabbits and hares make up most of the diet.

Of the big cats mentioned here the Lynx is the most seldom seen.  There are two possible reasons for this.   Firstly, fewer were ever released into the British countryside, as fewer were kept as pets.  The other reason could be that the larger Black Leopards and Pumas have killed them as a competing predator cat.

The Lynx is a powerfully sturdily built animal.  It has long powerful legs and a very short tail.  Their ears are topped with  very distinctive pointed tufts of black hair.  The whiskers, during the winter grow like a lions mane.  This may be to keep the snow away from their mouths, as most of their natural habitats suffer long snowy winters.  Their paws are densly furred and almost act as snow shoes, which helps the Lynx when chasing rabbits and hares across the snow.  They tend to have a gray overall colour,  which varies with sub-species.  The Spanish Lynx is brown with darker brown spots.