Eurasian lynx: The invisible forest cat with snowshoes

The lynx is a shy, mysterious cat that hides deep in the forest and is rarely seen, earning it the name "invisible cat". With a special pair of ears and wide, thick paws, it moves through snow with ease. Let's meet it.

Its body

The lynx's most distinctive feature is the tuft of long black hair at the tip of each ear — like two little antennas that help it pinpoint exactly which direction a sound comes from. Its paws are wide, thick and furred, working like built-in "snowshoes", so it skims over deep snow while chasing hares. It also has a short tail and a dense coat, well suited to the cold north.

Its life and what it eats

The lynx is a solitary hunter that feeds mainly on hares, as well as small deer and birds. It relies on keen hearing and eyesight and is active at night or dusk, moving secretly and swiftly. It is an important forest predator, helping to control numbers of hares and similar animals.

Where it is found

The lynx lives in the forests of northern Europe and Asia. In the past, many European countries hunted it almost to extinction; in recent decades, reintroduction has slowly brought numbers back. Its return has helped restore balance to the forest — proof of how important a top predator can be.

A note for grown-ups

You could look with a child at the tufts on the lynx's ears: don't they look like little antennas? Explain that the small "designs" on an animal usually have a purpose. Teaching a child to ask "why does it look like that?" is the best kind of nature observation.