A lynx balances precariously in the treetops and makes a giant leap after a squirrel — but the squirrel has a plan of its own.
Lynxes are medium-sized wild cats distinguished by their short tails and tufts of black hair on the tops of their ears. They have large, padded paws for strolling silently across snowy terrain and are renowned for their elusive nature.
The Canada lynx ranges as far north as Alaska and as far south as the northern United States. They are bigger than bobcats, standing at about twenty inches tall at the shoulder and measuring thirty to forty inches in length. Canada lynxes can weigh up to forty pounds.
Their yellowish-brown coats are thick and serve as adequate protection from the cold elements of their natural habitats.
The snowshoe hare serves as its predominant source of prey, although lynxes have been known to go after the occasional squirrel, bird, or small mammal, as in this video. Although normally nocturnal, there are documented incidents of lynxes hunting during the day.
The fearless lynx in this video is thought to be a juvenile on account of its inexperienced attempt at catching dinner. This footage was filmed just outside of Drayton Valley, Alberta around 9 am.
“I’ve seen a lot of neat things out here but I’ve never seen anything remotely close to a lynx in a tree. It’s a young cat. It was just going about trying to find something to eat the hard way,” filmmaker Ken Nicholson stated to CBC News.
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