Small Wild Cats

[peter]

In 'Säugetiere der Sowjetunion' (Heptner & Sludskij, German edition, 1980, pp. 421), a lynx of 35 kg. is mentioned (Altai Mountains, Dul'kejt, 1953).

The lynx in Jakutsk (Felis lynx wrangeli, Ognev, 1928) is the largest subspecies (skull measurements), but the Carpathian lynx (Felis lynx carpathica, Kratochv. and Stollm., 1963) is the heaviest of all (averages).

The heaviest confirmed male was 36,5 kg. Another one, unconfirmed, was 38 kg. (Heptner & Sludskij, 1980, pp. 437-439).

The Carpathian lynx is a 'red' lynx and these usually are smaller than the lynxes in the north (Scandinavia) and east (Russia). The large average weight (13 males averaged 25,7 kg.) was a result of the good conditions in Slovakia and Rumania (referring to the situation before 1980).

As for the attitude regarding predators in Norway. I've been in Sweden for many years. The region I visited was close to Norway. We sometimes watched documentaries broadcasted on the Norwegian television. I remembered predators (wolves, bears and lynxes) were regarded with a lot of distrust. Fear was a major part of the documentaries and my guess is the media are to blame. They are really overdoing it and the result is destruction. Maybe the time has arrived to write a few letters to newspapers? Reply