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What the sources say

Canada LynxLynx canadensis

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Canada Lynx profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 42 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Canada lynx. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The page sayswhose numbers rise and fall with the snowshoe hares it eats
The source saysLynx numbers naturally rise and fall along with snowshoe hare populations.
The page saysA snowshoe-pawed wild cat of the northern forests
The source saysCanada lynx have large paws for their size which act like snowshoesNote: tagline; 'northern forests' from 'the cold, northern forests of North America'
The page saysCold northern boreal forest of North America
The source saysThis wild cat lives in the cold, northern forests of North America —a habitat known as boreal forest.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysMostly snowshoe hares, plus rodents, birds, squirrels, and other small mammals
The source saysLynx primarily eat snowshoe hares but will also eat rodents, birds, squirrels, and other small mammals, particularly in summer.Note: stats.diet
The page saysLarge paws that act like snowshoes, letting it chase fast prey through deep, powdery snow
The source saysCanada lynx have large paws for their size which act like snowshoes and allow these cats to pursue fast prey in deep, powdery snow.Note: stats.superpower
The page saysis a medium-sized wild cat
The source saysThe Canada lynx is a medium-sized wild cat
The page saysof the cold northern forests of North America. That habitat is called boreal forest.
The source saysThis wild cat lives in the cold, northern forests of North America —a habitat known as boreal forest.
The page saysIt favors patches of regenerating forest within older stands of trees, patches that usually feature dense undergrowth where snowshoe hares live.
The source saysIn particular, the lynx favors patches of regenerating forest within older stands of trees with a mix of tree heights. These regenerating patches usually feature dense undergrowth that serves as habitat for snowshoe hares.
The page saysOn average, a lynx is 75 to 90 centimeters (30 to 35 inches) long and weighs around 6 to 14 kilograms (15 to 30 pounds).
The source saysOn average, Canada lynx are 30 to 35 inches (75 to 90 centimeters) long and weigh around 15 to 30 pounds (6 to 14 kilograms).
The page saysMales are typically a bit larger than females.
The source saysMales are typically a bit larger than females.
The page saysIn the wild it lives up to 15 years, and in human care up to 22.
The source saysUp to 15 years in the wild. In human care, this species can live for up to 22 years.
The page saysThey are large for its size and act like snowshoes, letting it pursue fast prey in deep, powdery snow.
The source saysCanada lynx have large paws for their size which act like snowshoes and allow these cats to pursue fast prey in deep, powdery snow.
The page saysLong, thin tufts of fur stand on the tips of its ears, and its short tail ends in black.
The source saysLynx have distinctive long, thin tufts of fur on the tips of their ears and short, black-tipped tails.
The page saysSnowshoe hares make up 60 to 97 percent of a lynx's diet.
The source saysSnowshoe hares make up 60-97% of the lynx diet
The page saysAn individual lynx eats one hare every 1 to 2 days on average.
The source sayswith an individual lynx eating one hare every 1-2 days on average.
The page saysRodents, birds, squirrels and other small mammals fill in, particularly in summer.
The source saysLynx primarily eat snowshoe hares but will also eat rodents, birds, squirrels, and other small mammals, particularly in summer.
The page saysLynx populations peak and crash in roughly 10-year cycles that track the numbers of snowshoe hares, especially in the northern parts of the lynx's range.
The source saysLynx populations naturally peak and crash in roughly 10-year cycles that track the numbers of their primary prey, the snowshoe hare, especially in the northern parts of the lynx’s range.
The page sayslitter size often depends on hare abundance.
The source saysLitter size often depends on hare abundance.
The page saysFemales give birth to litters of one to four kittens, usually in May or June
The source saysfemales give birth to litters of one to four kittens, usually in May or June.
The page saysLynx are mostly solitary.
The source saysSocial Structure Mostly solitary.Note: Smithsonian 'Social Structure' field; ADW also says 'Lynx are solitary and seem to be territorial.'
The page saysThey communicate mainly by scent marking, but they also use barks, growls, yowls and cries.
The source saysLynx mostly communicate with one another through scent marking, but they also will communicate using sound with a range of barks, growls, yowls, and cries.
The page saysits populations peak and crash in roughly 10-year cycles that track the numbers of snowshoe hares
The source saysLynx populations naturally peak and crash in roughly 10-year cycles that track the numbers of their primary prey, the snowshoe hare

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Lynx canadensis (Canada lynx). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysA lynx normally stalks to within a few short bounds of its prey and then pounces. Some will wait in ambush for hours.
The source saysPrey are normally stalked to within a few short bounds and then pounced upon, although some lynx will wait in ambush for hours.
The page saysFemales and young sometimes hunt hares cooperatively, spreading out in a line and moving through relatively open areas. Prey scared up by one cat is often caught by others in the line.
The source saysFemales and young sometimes hunt for hares cooperatively by spreading out in a line and moving through relativley open areas. Prey scared up by one animal is often caught by others in the line.Note: source spells 'relativley'; 'relatively open areas' on the page
The page saysWhen hares thin out, lynx numbers fall too.
The source sayswhen there are fewer hares to eat, the number of lynx decreases.
The page saysHome ranges vary in size from 11 to 300 square kilometers.
The source saysRanges vary in size from 11 to 300 square kilometers.
The page saysA lynx stalks to within a few short bounds of its prey and then pounces
The source saysstalked to within a few short bounds and then pounced upon

Source
03

Krebs, Boonstra & Boutin 2017

Krebs, Boonstra & Boutin (2017). Using experimentation to understand the 10‐year snowshoe hare cycle in the boreal forest of North America. Journal of Animal Ecology.

The page saysA cycle fur traders noticed
The source saysis a classic cycle, recognized by fur traders for more than 300 yearsNote: blockquote lead-in
The page saysThe 10-year snowshoe hare cycle is a classic, recognized by fur traders for more than 300 years.
The source saysThe 10-year cycle of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus Erxleben) across the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska is a classic cycle, recognized by fur traders for more than 300 years.
The page saysExperiments adding food and restricting predator access to field populations were decisive in pinpointing predation as the key mechanism causing these fluctuations.
The source saysExperiments adding food and restricting predator access to field populations have been decisive in pinpointing predation as the key mechanism causing these fluctuations.
The page saysLynx are among the killers.
The source sayspredation by a variety of predators, including the Canada lynxNote: FAQ 2
The page saysPredation is the immediate cause of death for most snowshoe hares, by a variety of predators.
The source saysThe immediate cause of death of most snowshoe hares is predation by a variety of predators, including the Canada lynx
The page saysHare births collapse too, and that is not due to food shortage, as was once thought, but to chronic stress from predator chases.
The source saysThe collapse in the reproductive rate is not due to food shortage as was originally thought, but is a result of chronic stress from predator chases.

Source
04

Murray & Boutin 1991

Murray & Boutin (1991). The influence of snow on lynx and coyote movements: does morphology affect behavior? Oecologia.

The page saysOne study compared lynx with coyotes living in the same area.
The source saysWe studied sympatric lynx (Lynx canadensis) and coyotes (Canis latrans)Note: FAQ 1; sympatric = living in the same area
The page saysThe two are of similar size and mass, but lynx feet are much larger.
The source saysBoth species are of similar size and mass, but the feet of lynx are much larger
The page saysThe coyotes carried 4.1 to 8.8 times the foot-load of the lynx (body mass divided by foot area), and on average their legs sank deeper.
The source sayscoyotes were found to have 4.1-8.8 times the foot-load (ratio of body mass to foot area) of lynx. This resulted in greater mean sinking depths of coyote limbs
The page saysThe lynx also used areas where the snow was deeper.
The source sayswhile lynx used areas where snow was deeper

Source
05

Schwartz et al. 2002

Schwartz et al. (2002). DNA reveals high dispersal synchronizing the population dynamics of Canada lynx. Nature.

The page saysYes, over huge distances.
The source saysHere we show high gene flow despite separation by distances greater than 3,100 kmNote: FAQ 3 lead
The page saysA study of lynx from 17 collection sites found high gene flow even between sites more than 3,100 km apart.
The source sayslynx samples from 17 collection sites in the core and periphery of the lynx's geographic range. Here we show high gene flow despite separation by distances greater than 3,100 km
The page saysIts authors suggested that managers in the contiguous United States should focus on keeping connections open to the core of the lynx's range.
The source saysWe therefore suggest that management actions in the contiguous United States should focus on maintaining connectivity with the core of the lynx's geographic range.

Source
06

Murray & Thornton 2025

Murray & Thornton (2025). Lynx canadensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T12518A275326314.

The page saysThe IUCN rates the species Least Concern.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: GBIF's copy of the Red List, checked against taxon id 12518 inside the DOI
The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: stats.conservationStatus

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.