Lynx

__**Appearance**__
If you have ever gone camping before, I bet you've seen a bird or heard a chipmunk, but I bet that you have never seen a lynx. These mammals of the north forest belong to the cat family. Most lynx can weigh up to 13 kg, but some weigh 45 kg. They can be as long as 90 cm. Lynx have long tufts of fur on their ears. Lynx have fur behind their jaws and hind legs. They have two fur coats. Their summer coat is brown spotted and their winter coat is grey spotted. Lynx have really big paws and long legs.

__**Habitat**__
The lynx lives in the tundra in the north forest of Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Lynx build their den in a dark cave or in a log. Lynx live alone most of the year. They only live with another lynx if they want to breed.

__**Diet**__
Lynx are nocturnal. That means that they sleep during the day and hunt at night. These animals are carnivores. That means that they only eat meat like, mice, birds, chickens, squirrels, caribou calves, fox, river otters, beavers, muskrats, and snowshoe hares. Lynx can eat 1 snowshoe hare in a single meal. The lynx usually eats 150-200 snowshoe hares in one year. The lynx sometimes even eats pets!

__**Predators**__
The lynx has many enemies. Sometimes they swim to escape, but sometimes they climb trees to get away. Some of the lynx's enemies are wolves, cougars, and wolverines. Those animals are higher than the lynx on the food chain. Lynx can get hit by cars, trucks, or trains. Sometimes the lynx is just minding its own business and BOOM! It's dead! That usually happens if it's in the middle of the road or it's hunting season.

__**Offspring**__
Lynx's have 1 litter every year. The lynx usually has 1-4 babies at a time. Baby lynx's are called cubs or kittens, like how a baby bear is called a cub and a baby cat is called a kitten. The kittens stay in their den until they are 5 months old. They still have to grow for 19 more months until they are fully grown. The kittens do not have a sense of hearing or smell when they are born. Kittens have grey fur when they are babies. The babies spend a lot of time playing because they have a lot of energy. They also drink milk from their mother. Lynx's kittens are so cute!

__Adaptations__
Lynx's have some interesting adaptations like how they have large padded feet which help them to walk quietly and fast in deep snow or fast over a short distance. The lynx has really cool claws that can retract. Lynx's use their claws to catch their prey. They also use their claws for fighting their predators and climbing big trees that they can hide in. The lynx has a nose and a pair of ears just like us, but they have a better sense of smell than you and me and better eye sight too. The lynx's adaptations are so cool!

__Cool Facts__
The lynx has a lot of cool facts. I was amazed with how many cool facts I found in my books. There were a lot of facts I didn't know about the lynx. I hope you like my facts. Lynx's have very sharp teeth and powerful jaws that can break though your bones as easy as pie. That must hurt. Once I got bit by a human and it just left teeth marks it didn't break though my bones, so that means that lynx's teeth are sharper than human teeth and their jaws are more powerful than ours. The lynx's claws are sharp so they can scratch trees to mark their territory. You would not want to get in front of him while he is doing that, but if you did it would hurt a lot. Lynx's have very furry feet that keep them warm like how we have coats,socks,shoes,hats,pants,and mittens. They are also really great climbers and jumpers. Lynx's use their whiskers to help their body fit in small spaces,isn't that weird? Like I said Lynx's have a lot of cool facts.

__**References**__
@http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/kids/animal-facts/canada_lynx.asp []

McDermott,Barb. McKeown, Gail. __All About Canadian Anilmals: Lynx__. Edmonton: Riedmore Books Inc., 1998. __Lynx__. Agincourt: GLC Publishers Limited, 1981. Nault, William H. __The World Book Encyclopedia vol 12__. Toronto: World Book, Inc, 1996.