Black Canada Lynx caught on camera for the first time

The Canada Lynx, or Lynx canadensis, is a species of lynx that is indigenous to North America, which includes Canada and portions of the United States.

Black-furred Canada Lynxes have also been reported, despite the species’ typical light brownish-gray coat.

It had never been possible to shoot black type until 2022, when a fortunate individual managed to capture several pictures that swiftly gained widespread attention.

 

A researcher from the University of Alberta in Canada captured the animal. The animal was captured on camera by Thomas Jung, a Yukon government employee, using his cell phone.

The journal Mammalia published an article titled “Paint it black: first record of melanism in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis),” which detailed the discovery.

The video was taken near the Yukon city of Whitehorse in a quiet rural neighborhood. In the footage, the lynx can be seen lounging at a distance of about fifty meters. A dog and a few others were in the area, and when the dog started barking, the lynx finally ran away.

The Canada Lynx behaves like a solitary, withdrawn animal.Experts on the species were able to recognize the animal as a Canada lynx, although the grainy video did not show many identifying characteristics.

According to Jung, “it had a black coat with whitish gray guard hairs throughout, as well as whitish gray hairs in the rostrum and dorsal regions and facial ruff.”

Most lynx species are similar in appearance, and because of their silvery gray coats, Canada lynx are often seen in the winter. In the summer, their coats often turn reddish brown.

Because of its diverse coat hues, the lynx in the film is an extremely unusual species.These kinds of differences, according to Jung, are often adaptations that can either be beneficial (adaptive) or detrimental (maladaptive) to evolution.

Scientists have not yet established the benefits or drawbacks of melanin in any species. Jung, however, views the lynx’s trait as maladaptive since it prevents it from providing necessary camouflage. During winter hunting, the animal’s darker fur would likely make it stand out in the snow.

 

Whoa! It’s unbelievable that such a rare animal was captured on film. Please share your opinions in the comments section!

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