Where Does the Lynx Live?

The four species of lynx live in different places although there is a wide overlap between the bobcat and Canada lynx. The Canada lynx lives in North America (mainly Canada). The Eurasian lynx lives in Europe (patchy distribution), through to most of Russia and then Central Asia and also Scandinavia. The very rare Iberian lynx lives in Spain and Portugal but most importantly in a small area of Portugal with a very small population. The bobcat lives from Mexico in the south, through most of America and into the south of Canada.

The sort of habitat they live in is as follows:

  1. Canada lynx: Typically coniferous forest
  2. Eurasian lynx: Primarily forest
  3. Iberian lynx: Scrubland to marshes
  4. Bobcat: Wide variety

The best way to see these places is in maps. They are presented below. Please

Canada lynx distribution

Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

Eurasian lynx distribution

Iberian lynx distribution

Bobcat distribution

There is an enormous difference in the distributions of these four species of lynx with the Bobcat, Canada and Eurasian lynx distributed over enormous areas whereas the Iberian lynx is at the very edge of extinction in the wild living in tiny fragmented areas.

Scientific names:

  • Canada lynx: Lynx canadenis
  • Eurasian lynx: Lynx lynx
  • Iberian lynx: Lynx pardinus
  • Bobcat: Lynx rufus

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3 thoughts on “Where Does the Lynx Live?”

  1. Hi! Anychance of sharing this Eurasian Lynx shapefile? Would be really helpful for my masters thesis.

    Thanks,
    Miles

    Reply
  2. I’m hopeful that we’ll soon be re-introducing lynx to the U.K.

    With the dwindling numbers of Iberian lynx, it’s a shame that isn’t the species being considered, but I guess we cannot provide them with the appropriate habitat and prey animals to survive here.

    Reply

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