Animals & Tracks
The lynx - the tiger of the North
The lynx is Norway's only naturally wild-living cat, and is particularly well suited to life in Norway. Its coat is warm and changes colour, so that the lynx blends in with…
Created: May 30, 2022 9:55 AM
Lynx lynx
Height: 50 - 75 cm
Weight: 8 - 25 kg
The lynx is Norway’s only naturally wild-living cat, and is particularly well suited to life in Norway. Its coat is warm and changes colour, so that the lynx blends in with its surroundings. This matters, because the lynx is a stalking hunter. The fur beneath its paws helps to muffle the sounds of the lynx’s movements. That comes in useful when the lynx is stalking up on hares and roe deer.
The lynx is a very skilful hunter, and often succeeds in the hunt compared with other predators.
The lynx lives alone, except for the female lynx when she is travelling with her young. She does this for a little under a year.
The lynx is found scattered across most of the country, apart from Vestlandet. There the Storting has decided that the lynx should not be present, owing to the large numbers of sheep.
What if you meet a lynx?
The lynx is wary of people, and it is rare to catch sight of one. Should you get a glimpse of it, it is unlikely to be more than a few seconds before it disappears at full speed!
Photo: Bjørn Henrik Stavdal Johansen
Next steps
- Animals and tracks — the hub
- The wolf — other large carnivores
- The brown bear — other large carnivores
- The wolverine — other large carnivores
Learn more
- Artsdatabanken — species, status, the Red List
- Miljødirektoratet — large carnivores — management
- NINA — the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research — research on Norwegian fauna
- Naturveilederen — Bjørn Henrik Stavdal Johansen — nature interpretation