How to Tell a Bobcat from a Lynx

You might think that bobcats and lynxes are the same thing, but they’re actually not. They’re both wild cats that have long legs, short tails, and fluffy ears, but they have some differences that make them unique. Here’s how you can tell them apart.

What They Look Like

Bobcats have brighter fur than lynxes, and they can be reddish-brown or gray with black spots and stripes. Lynxes have darker fur than bobcats, and they’re usually gray or brown with faint dark spots . Bobcats also have more cool patterns on their legs and tails than lynxes.

Bobcats have a tiny tail that looks like it was cut off. The end of their tail is black on top and white on the bottom. Lynxes have a longer tail than bobcats, but still shorter than most cats. The end of their tail is all black.

Lynxes are bigger than bobcats, and they can be 21 to 25 inches tall and 18 to 64 pounds heavy, while bobcats can be 18 inches tall and 11 to 37 pounds heavy . Lynxes also have longer legs and bigger feet than bobcats, which help them walk on snow .

Where They Live

Bobcats and lynxes live in different places and like different things. Bobcats only live in North America, and they can live in many kinds of places, like swamps, deserts, and forests . Lynxes live in Europe, Asia, and North America, and they like to live in places with lots of trees and animals to eat . In North America, the Canada lynx and the bobcat sometimes live near each other along the border between the U.S. and Canada.

How Many There Are

Bobcats are more common and easy to find than lynxes, and there are over one million of them in North America. Lynxes are more rare and hard to find, and there are less than 100,000 of them in the world. The Iberian lynx is the most in trouble of the four kinds of lynxes, and there are only about 400 of them left in Spain and Portugal.

The Bottom Line

Bobcats and lynxes are both awesome wild cats that belong to the same family but have different features. They look different, live in different places, and have different numbers. By knowing these differences, you can learn more about these amazing animals and how they live in nature.

LEARN MORE FROM THESE REFERENCES.

• The Difference Between Lynx and Bobcat: What You Need to Know. https://www.diffbt.com/difference-between-lynx-and-bobcat/
• What’s the Difference Between a Bobcat and a Lynx? HowStuffWorks. https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/bobcat-vs-lynx.htm
• Bobcat vs Lynx: The 4 Key Differences Explained. A-Z Animals. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/bobcat-vs-lynx-the-4-key-differences-explained/
• Lynx Vs. Bobcat: 15 Differences WildlifeBoss.com. https://wildlifeboss.com/lynx-vs-bobcat/