Canada Lynx or Lynx canadensis is a species of lynx native to North America, including Canada and parts of the United States.
Although the Canada Lynx normally has a light brownish-gray fur coat, there have also been reports of black-furred individuals.
The black-colored type had never been photographed, but in 2022, a lucky person could snap some images that quickly went viral.
A Canadian researcher from the University of Alberta managed to capture the animal. An employee of the Yukon government named Thomas Jung captured a video of the animal on his phone.
Paint it black: The first record of melanism in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) was an article in Mammalia that described the discovery.
The footage was captured in a rural residential neighborhood close to the Yukon metropolis of Whitehorse. The lynx may be seen in the video relaxing at a distance of roughly 50 meters. Some people and a dog were nearby, and the lynx eventually fled when the dog began to bark. The behavior of the Canada Lynx is that of a lone, reclusive creature.
Although they could identify the animal as a Canada lynx, experts on the species could not make out many distinguishing traits in the shaky video.
Jung said, “It had a black coat with whitish gray guard hairs all over and whitish gray hairs in the facial ruff, the rostrum, and the dorsal regions.”
Most lynx species share a common hue, with Canada lynx frequently seen in the winter with silvery gray coats. In the summer, their coats often turn reddish brown.
Due to its variety in coat color, the lynx seen in the video is a very unusual species.
According to Jung, differences like these are frequently adaptations that may be advantageous to evolution (adaptive) or detrimental (maladaptive).
Melanism in any animal has not been proven advantageous or disadvantageous by scientists. However, Jung considers the lynx’s feature to be maladaptive because it results in a lack of essential camouflage. The animal would probably stand out in the snow while hunting in the winter because of its darker hair.
Wow! We find it hard to believe such a rare creature was photographed. Comment below with your ideas to share with us!
