Shockingly Rare Black Canadian Lynx Looks Like Something From Science Fiction

Written by Sharon Parry
Updated: June 3, 2023
© Through Christy's Lens/Shutterstock.com
Share this post on:
Continue Reading To See This Amazing Video

Key Points:

  • The hair of the Canada lynx is short and their coat can be a mixture of brown, grey, or cream – they often have a silvery appearance because the hairs have a white tip.
  • The Canada lynx has long back legs and big feet to help distribute its weight when walking on snow.
  • Snowshoe hares are the preferred prey of the Canada lynx and they often wait in trees ready to pounce down upon the unsuspecting animals.

This is a very short clip but what it lacks in length it makes up for in significance. It shows a rare sighting of a Canada Lynx with an unusually dark coat. What is even more amazing, is that it was captured in a residential area, casually sitting by some steps before strolling out of shot. It would be safe to say that it has wound up the family dog no end – if the frantic barking is anything to go by.

Canada lynx in deep snow
The Canada lynx has adaptions for walking on snow

©iStock.com/Lynn_Bystrom

All About the Canada Lynx

The Canada lynx is usually elusive and avoids contact with humans. They stand around 24 inches in height (up to their shoulders) and are between 32 and 47 inches in length. They are a member of the Felidae family, making them a ‘big cat’ and are about twice as big as a domestic house cat although they weigh more than three times a domestic cat. Their hair is short and their coat can be a mixture of brown, grey, or cream – they often have a silvery appearance because the hairs have a white tip. There are some dark parts to the coat – the tip of the tail is black and the rest of the coat can be marked with darker spots or thin strips. However, it is unusual to see a Lynx with a coat as dark as this.

Only The Top 1% Can Ace our Animal Quizzes

Think You Can?

Canada Lynx Lifestyle

Snowshoe Hare
Snowshoe Hares are the preferred prey of the Canada lynx.

©FotoRequest/Shutterstock.com

This big cat spends a lot of time in trees waiting to leap down on their prey and their preferred targets are snow hares. This lynx has some unusual anatomical features. They have long legs (the hind legs are longer than the front) and very large feet compared to the rest of their body. This is to distribute their weight and allows them to walk with ease on the top of the snow.

These amazing predators also have distinctive tufts of hair sticking out of the top of their triangular ears. The hairs are sensitive to sound – picking up on the location of predators and prey.

Is it Normal for Canada Lynx to be Around Humans?

Canada Lynx on the edge of the ice along Alaska highway at Johnson's Crossing, Yukon, Canada.
Canada Lynx are generally solitary animals but can be found with other lynx when they are mating.

©Jukka Jantunen/Shutterstock.com

Canada lynx lead a solitary lifestyle apart from when mating and when the females raise the young. They cover large areas looking for snow hares. When food is less plentiful, they expand their territories. They spend their time in forests and in weedy areas, grasslands, shrub thickets, and pastures. An ideal location for them is a long way away from humans making this video even more remarkable.  

As mentioned earlier, it is also extremely rare for a Canada lynx to have such a dark coat – another reason to watch this video for a once-in-a-lifetime sight!

Watch This Footage Below Of A Rare Dark Coated Canada Lynx!

Up Next:

More from A-Z Animals


The Featured Image

Close-up of Canada Lynx
Close-up of Canada Lynx
© Through Christy's Lens/Shutterstock.com

Share this post on:
About the Author

Sharon has a Ph.D. in Public Health but has spent the last decade researching and writing about all things connected with animal health and well being. As a life-long animal lover, she now shares her family home with three rabbits, a Syrian hamster, and a very energetic Cocker Spaniel but in the past she has also been a Mom to Guinea Pigs and several cats!She has a passion for researching accurate and credible information about pets and reviewing products that make pet owners' lives a bit easier. When she isn't checking out new pet products she's trekking around the Welsh mountains and beaches with her dog - although she lets her husband and her three grown up daughters tag along sometimes if they are lucky!

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.