CRITTERS OF NORTH IDAHO: Canada Lynx

Do you have a cat? I do, and she is a calico named Sarafina. Now she’s all for cuddling up next to me when it’s cold, or staring me down when she’s hungry or wants attention, but she’s not what I’d call a “hunter.” She’s rather naive when there’s a mouse hiding somewhere in my house, and the only “animals” I’ve ever seen this ravenous predator hunt are dust bunnies.

Sarafina’s hunting prowess may have skipped a generation, but there are cats all over the world that have a well-deserved reputation for being clever hunters of other animals in the wild. The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is one of them. This species is one of the many species of lynx living throughout the northern hemisphere.

The name “lynx” comes from the Greek word “leukos,” which means “to shine.” It is believed that this is in reference to the way a cat’s eyes reflect light in the dark, giving them a bright, eerie glow. In fact, the eyes of all cats glow in the dark because they have a layer of tissue in their eyes called a tapetum lucidum. This layer of tissue lies just behind the retina and is used to reflect light entering the eye back through the retina, giving the animals great vision even under low-light conditions.

It is rather easy to confuse a Canada lynx for a bobcat. Actually, the bobcat is itself in the lynx genus, though it is a different species (Lynx rufus). Bobcats and Canada lynxes can be easily distinguished.

Canada lynxes have a completely black tail tip, while bobcats do not. Canada lynxes are generally 4 feet long, weigh 48 pounds and live up to 17 years in the wild. They have thick, light brown or gray fur with light black spots.

Despite their name, Canada lynxes also live throughout Alaska, the northern United States, and along the Rocky Mountains leading into Colorado. Their favored habitat is moist, boreal forests characterized by cold, snowy winters and lots and lots of snowshoe hares. Canada lynxes are so intrinsically linked to snowshoe hares that their populations are actually known to fluctuate based on the population of their favorite prey!

Before eating a snowshoe hare, these felines have to catch one first, and they have the perfect combination of traits that enable them to do so. In addition to great night vision, they also have superb hearing thanks to the tufts of hair on the ends of their ears, which function as hearing aids. They can hear a mouse from more than 250 feet away!

Once locating their prey, they can sneak up almost undetected thanks to their camouflaging fur before rushing forth in pursuit. Their long limbs move them efficiently through deep snow, and the undersides of their paws allow them to traverse slippery surfaces. Though they specialize in snowshoe hares, Canada lynxes also hunt a variety of mice, squirrels and birds.

There is one thing, however, that the Canada lynx generally fails at: making a good pet, which is something Sarafina succeeds at splendidly!

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Contact Christian at: animaladventures1314@gmail.com

HOMESCHOOL PROJECT

LYNX TAIL KEYCHAIN

MATERIALS NEEDED:

- Faux Lynx Fur (Approx. ? Yd.)

- Rotary Cutter (New Blade)

- Measuring Tape

- Needle & Thread

- Sewing Machine (Optional)

- Something to large Curve your Tail

- Polyfill Stuffing

- Straight Pins

- Swivel Snap Hook

STEP 1: DECIDE ON LENGTH

First thing you need to do is decide how long your tail is going to be and cut it. Keep in mind that it can be quite tricky to turn it right side out.

STEP 2a: CUT & SHAPE

To cut the faux fur, you need to lay it fur side down and cut just the very back layer of it with a rotary cutter. Cutting the fur with scissors will chop the fur off in places and make it look a little mangy. Take note of the direction the fur is going. If you will hang it from your pants you might want the fur going down. You can make the outside edge curved or pointed. A straight bottom will result in a chunky looking tail.

STEP 2b: CUT & SEW

Cut a very small piece of the fabric to make the tab. The tab is for the keychain ring to go through. Fold it in half, right side out and whip stitch all three sides. Set aside and use in STEP 8.

STEP 3: FOLD

Fold the tail in half, so the fur side is touching and the fabric side is on the outside. Line up the edges.

STEP 4: PIN

Pin the tail together all the way down the open edge. You will leave the end opposite of the bottom of the tail open. As you pin, tuck the fur inside the tail. When you have finished, all the hair should be inside the tail except open edge.

STEP 5: SEW

Thread a needle by doubling over the thread and make a large knot at the end of the thread. Start at the bottom of the tail, ? to ¼ inch from the edge. Make small stitches through both edges. If the needle does not go through all the way you can end up with hair sticking through.

STEP 6: TURN

Turn the tail right side out. This can be tricky if your tail is really skinny. Go slowly and don’t tug too hard. Faux fur is backed with loosely woven fabric and you can easily rip the stitches.

STEP 7: STUFF

Stuff your tail with the polyfill stuffing.

STEP 8: SEW

Double thread a needle and knot it. Fold over the fabric about ¼ inch at the top. Stitch it down and fold over more fabric, then stitch that down. Once you are about halfway through the opening, INSERT the tab from STEP 2b and start pulling on the thread. You will see the fabric start to gather. Keep stitching and pulling the thread tight to gather it until you reach the beginning of your stitches. Use your fingers to feel around and make sure you have not left any holes. Now you can tie off.

STEP 9: ATTACH HOOK

Attach your Snap Hook keychain to the tab on the tail.

If you have been finding these projects helpful please let us know. We would love your feedback.

Project provided by Angel Dominiq

angeldominiq13@gmail.com