Eurasian Lynx

The largest of the lynxes, the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) has powerful legs, with slightly longer hindlimbs adapted for springing. In common with other lynx species, the large ears are adorned with conspicuous black tufts, and the long cheek hair hangs down to form a facial ruff, appearing almost mane-like in winter. The coat is long and extremely dense, especially over the winter, and is more variable in colouration than in any other felid. While the shorter, summer coat tends to be more reddish or brownish in colour, the winter coat may be silver-grey, yellowish-grey, grizzled greyish-brown, ashy blue, or dark grey. The coat pattern is also incredibly variable, with some individuals having highly visible black spots, sometimes coalescing into narrow stripes, while others have almost no spots. The underparts are usually white, and the short stubby tail is tipped with black. Over winter, the large paws are covered in long, dense, shaggy hair that provides a snowshoe effect when moving through deep snow.