Carpathian lynx

The Carpathian lynx is quite large compared to other cat species. They have lengthy legs, large paws, bob tails, cheek hair forming a facial ruff, and tall ears with noticeable black tufts. Like other lynx subspecies, Carpathian lynxes have big, furry paws which hit the ground with a spreading toe movement, allowing them to walk above the snow. Their thick fur protects them from cold during winters. They have soft fur, which has denser amounts of spots than other lynx subspecies.[4] Individual Carpathian lynxes have different patterns of spots, which allows researchers to identify them more easily on camera.[5]

Carpathian lynxes can be found in the Carpathian mountain ranges of Europe. They hunt in the northern forests of Europe and Asia.[6][4]

Carpathian lynxes are not fast runners compared to other cat species, and instead rely on ambush attacks to kill their prey. [6] They are solitary creatures, avoiding humans and only coming together to breed.[4]

L. l. carpathicus was once common throughout Europe, but is now extinct in some areas.[6] In contrast to the expanding populations of many large carnivores in Europe, the Carpathian lynx population in the Western Carpathians appears unable to spread beyond the western boundaries of its current range, at the Czech-Slovak border. Persistent low density, high turnover of residents, and female philopatry may be responsible for hindering its range expansion, but stressors such as poaching and increasing landscape fragmentation in the Western Carpathians have exacerbated this issue.[7] In addition, due to reintroduction in the 1970s, there is an endangered population in the territories of Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia.[8] Its main habitat, the Carpathian Mountains, are a popular eco-tourist destination. Illegal logging is widespread in the area as well, due to the existing laws not having enough funding to be enforced.[6]