Lynx are expert hunters that move silently through the forest at dusk and dawn. Their large paws spread out when they step on snow, stopping them from sinking in — nature's own snowshoes. This means they can chase prey even in deep winter snowdrifts.
The spotted pattern on a lynx's coat acts as camouflage among dappled light and shadows in a forest. Each lynx has a unique pattern of spots, a bit like a human fingerprint. Scientists photograph lynx spots to identify individual animals in the wild.
Lynx communicate using scent marks — they rub their cheeks on trees and logs to leave a smell that tells other lynx who has passed by. They also make loud howling calls during the breeding season, which can be heard echoing through the night forest.
The lynx almost disappeared from Czechia during the 1900s, but a reintroduction programme brought animals back from Slovakia and the Carpathian Mountains. Today there are around 100 lynx living wild in Czechia, and their numbers are slowly growing.