Bobcats

Wallpaper Description:

How to Tell the Difference Between a Bobcat and a Lynx:

While bobcats and lynxes are separate species, they do belong to the same genus, which, coincidentally, happens to be the Lynx genus. There are four different species belonging to this group -- three of which share the family name: the Eurasian lynx, the Spanish (or Iberian) lynx and the Canadian lynx. The fourth member, the most common cat native to North America, is the previously mentioned bobcat.

­The Lynx genus, with its four species, has the largest range out of all the cats. The Eurasian lynx (the most numerous and widespread of the four species) can be found throughout Western Europe and Northern Asia, while the Spanish lynx (the rarest of the four) is found only in Spain and Portugal. The Canadian lynx lives primarily in Canada and a handful of northern U.S. states including Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming and Washington.

While the three species bearing the family name have the bobcat outnumbered in terms of global spread, the bobcat dominates the continent of North America. What is the difference between Lynx and Bobcat?

• Lynx is larger and heavier compared to bobcat. In fact, lynx is the largest of the Lynx genus, while bobcat is the smallest.

• The ear tufts are longer in lynx, but shorter in bobcat.

• Lynx has puffed, longer fur around the face compared to bobcat.

• Lynx has longer legs and wider paws compared to bobcat.

• The coat colour of the lynx is more toward grey and no significant patterning, while coat colour of the bobcat is brown to grey and the pattern is prominent.

• Lynx ranges in Europe, Russian, and northern Asia but bobcat range in North America.

• Lynx prefer wooded habitats and the bobcat prefer any type of habitat.

• Bobcats are more aggressive than lynxes.

• Bobcat has a specialized food habit with a limited number of prey species; on the other hand, lynx could feed on many prey species.