Lynx tracks

Mats’ photo can be read as a book. The lynx had reached the night-time shelter of the red deer, sniffed around thoroughly, then moved on in the row of tracks left by the deer. The action was in the very early hours of the morning. We all know about the skilful movements of the feline family animals in darkness. Only when threatened or disturbed lynxes move in daytime or climb into a tree for shelter, not particularly high up, and always finding a position between sturdy branch forks. The day they spend – as far as we know – in a forest thicket, or at a wind-felled tree. Their territory depends on the availability of food, and varies between 10 up to 100 square kilometres. The male’s territory is larger, including the territory of several females..

Lynxes move on their own and singly; in the tracks of the female in the snow the cubs from spring follow, but it always looks as if only one animal had been there. In autumn dense fur pads develop under the paws, making the traces blurred, it can be confused with the tracks of a full-grown wolf. The length of the rounded paw trace is up to 10 centimetres.

As a carnivore the lynx hunts mountain hares and deer; it slays foxes and from this may become infected with scabies. Grouses, capercaillies and other Galliformes birds have mostly moved up in trees for the winter, so rodents are hunted instead. Leftovers from the prey are carefully hidden and within a couple of days the lynx may visit to check the hiding place. The lynx’s teeth can’t manage frozen food – a cat family problem.