The Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is regarded as an indicative representation of the wild North. With its characteristic pointed, beard-like ruff, and snowshoe-like paws adept at distributing the wildcat's weight in deep snow, the lynx is regarded as one of the most stoic of the furbearer class of mid-sized mammals.
This week, the lynx is the latest to reap social media tidings as two separate videos released by Hinterland Outdoors demonstrates the animal’s insatiable charisma for viral video stardom.
The first video, captured by Matt Lotochinski in Fort St. John, British Columbia, depicts a lynx engaging in aggressive acrobatics as the animal attempts to take down a mule deer near the Site C Dam.
In the first frame of the video, the wildcat get a face-full of deer hoof to the jaw, which, I have to admit when I first watched, figured was the premise of the video. Although “Scrappy lynx gets a boot to the jaw” was not the anticipated outcome to the ordeal. The lynx is clearly a youngster, given the amount of mistakes and missteps that unfold as the ‘cat clings to the ungulate’s head like a life or death rodeo ride.
What seemed more like an annoyance to the much larger mule deer was actually effective - as it was reported the lynx successfully took down and killed the deer. In fact, as Matt Lotochinski reported on Facebook, the lynx has remained at the kill site for 4 days - proudly guarding its extra large meal. To the victor go the spoils.
Curiosity & The ‘Cat
Meanwhile, roughly 700 kilometers southeast in Alberta, Canada, a more lighthearted scene unfolded. Video was released yesterday of a curious lynx scaling the tires and body of a skidder in Rocky Mountain House. The video, filmed by Dean Erickson two days ago shows the lynx perched upon the logging machine’s tire. As the video progresses, the animal hops up on to the main grab system of the machine. The antics continue for several minutes before the lynx hops off the equipment and saunters off into the wilderness. We figure the little bugger was looking for a glass of water to knock over.
The curiosity of the lynx comes with good reason this time of year; as lynx mate in late winter (February-March) throughout most of their range. Once breeding has commenced, 1-6 kittens will be born. Average litters consist of two to four kittens. Those kittens will stay with their mother for their first year; as yet another popular video last week showcases.
Manitoba Hydro posted video to their Facebook page of a “pack” of lynx making the bold track across a Canadian highway on February 13.
Employee Shaun Kirchmann filmed highway litter of a different kind after he saw a bunch of heads peeking out from the treeline. The video can be viewed below. You can note the hesitation in several of the litter mates as they bound across the roadway - a characteristic still present in rural wildlife that is increasingly less noticeable in more urban furbearers.
While lynx are generally solitary animals, usually hunting and traveling alone, this time of year marks a shift in which males will seek females in an attempt to encourage breeding.
Females may mate with more than one male during a given season, however, like most bouts of courtship in the animal kingdom, the dominant male in the area tends to hold the territorial breeding rights. This time of year curiosity, as well as ruthless defending of territories tends to take priority.
Who could forget the other wildly popular video from last year; depicting the soothing lullaby of feline male dominance amid the tranquiul northern wilderness backdrop?
(Spoiler alert: Have the ear plugs ready before pressing “play” below.")