In a breakthrough discovery, a photographer managed to capture images of a black-colored Canada Lynx, a variation not commonly seen.
The photographs quickly gained global attention, marking the first documented visual evidence of this unique occurrence.
The Canada Lynx, scientifically known as Lynx canadensis, typically sports a light brownish-grey fur coat, making this black individual a remarkable find.
A researcher from the University of Alberta, Canada, successfully captured the animal on video. Thomas Jung, a Government of Yukon employee, recorded the remarkable footage using his cell phone.
The discovery was documented in an article, “Paint it black: first record of melanism in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis),” in the journal Mammalia.
The video was filmed in a rural residential area near Whitehorse, Yukon, capturing the Canada Lynx at a distance of approximately 50 meters. The lynx appeared to be in a calm state and not causing any disturbance. There were people and a dog in the vicinity, and the lynx eventually retreated upon hearing the dog’s barking. Being a solitary and elusive creature, the Canada Lynx tends to exhibit such behavior.
Although experts confirmed that the animal in the video was indeed a Canada Lynx, the grainy quality of the footage made it difficult to discern many distinct features.
”It had a black coat containing whitish gray guard hairs throughout, as well as whitish gray hairs in the facial ruff and the rostrum and dorsal regions,” Jung reports.
Most lynx species share similar coat coloring, and Canada lynx are typically observed with silvery gray coats during winter, which turn reddish brown in the summer.
Therefore, the lynx captured in the video is exceptionally rare due to its coat color variations.
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