Lynx

The lynx has originally been spread in nearly the whole of Europe. In the penisular of Pyreneus, England, Denmark, nothern parts of Nordic countries, islands in the Medterrean sea, southern parts of Greece have at least had theri own lynx population. In the beginning of 1800 lynx was found in France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Austira. In the late 1800 and beginning of 1900 the population decreased drastically and became instinct in France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, and in the Alps of Switzerland and Austria. The number of lynx has been varying greatly during centruries in Finland and all the time it has been an object for hunting.

The hunting of lynx continued and 1920 it was totally distinct in western Finland, middle Finland and southern Finland. During the war in the 1940's the lynx population grow again but although people were worried concerning the low amount of lynx hunting continued. In the 1950's there was only some very small populations along in the Finnish-Russian border areas. In 1962 the last hunting money for lynx were paid from the state (15 cpl). During the years 1962-1972 died at least 111 lynx in Finland due to different reasins. Today there are about 835 lynx in Finland, 500 lynx in Norway, 1200 in Sweden. It is estmated that about 7000 lynx lives in Europe.

There is very little lynx investigation done in Finland in recent years and the Finnish lynx organisation Wild Lynx ry. has too scarce budget to do larger investigations. During the year 2000 signs of lynx has been seen in middle Finland, northern Savo, southern Savo, northern Häme and occasionally from other areas.

Lynx belongs to the cat family and it is calculated with four different kinds of it in the world. In Finland we have the Euroasian lynx, lynx lynx. In the Pyrenes there is the Lynz pardinus or the Spanish lynz and in America there are two smaller lynx, called bobcats (Lynx rufus and Lynx canadensis). The lynx likes remove forest areas but sometimes it have to move also close to settlement due to changes in living conditions. The lynx likes landscapes with differencies in the topography, it likes to lay daytime high up where it can observe the surroundings. The lynx is easily recogniced due to its grace movements, cheek bard, antennas on the ears, and a smal hale that is one-third black on the Euroasian lynx. The spots pattern on the fur may be very different from indivudual to individual and also among the young ones. There may be lynx with totally spotted patterns, some with no spots at all "wolf-lynx" or then "fox-lynx" with spots only in the down parts of the fur. The names has during centuries been used in folklore and has no scientifical base at all. The lynx is a predatory and eats meat mainly hare and other small mammals. At areas with white-tailed-deer, reindeer and forest deer it may also hunt these. Usually a young deer is being the target of hunting. Sometimes the lynx manage to take a fox. Lynx hunt night time and is especially active in the twilight.

Lynx rests in the middle of the night. Out of ten hunts the lynx kills in four. The night for a female lynx with young ones is very busy as it then need to hunt much more. The lynx young ones has many difficulties in making the first winter: cold weather, injuries, traffic, illness and hunting. The most improtant sense in hunting is hearing but also seeing is important. In daylight the lynx has normal human seeing but in darkness it sees very good. The lynx is like cats crawling nearer its prey and jumps the last meters, as much as up til 6 meters. If it have to chase the animal it has to get it fast as lynx not is a good sprinter. Many times the prey is faster in running and the lynx do not get anything. The lynx can make the hunt more effective by hunting together the whole family in for exampel hare hunt. In that way the young ones also learn the hunting technics. The lynx may move during the night from 1 km to 20 km. The lynx gives born to 1-2 young ones, but sometimes also 3-4. The eys of the young ones open when they are 2 weeks old. In nature it may get as old as 17 years.

There has been made a very famous film about the lynx in Finland. The name of the film is "The Boy and the Lynx". The film has won international prizes for being an beautiful and important film telling about the life of lynx. (Source: Wild Lynx ry 2005)