A totally black Canada lynx has been observed and filmed for the first time

For the first time, a researcher has observed and filmed a totally black Canada lynx. Usually, the coat of this species is gray or brown, which makes this lynx a unique animal.

In the magazine Mammalia published on October 10, a researcher revealed an astonishing observation. Thomas Jung, from the University of Alberta in Canada, filmed a very rare animal that no one had ever seen. Indeed, on August 29, 2020, the researcher saw a lynx of totally black Canada.

Photo credit: Thomas Jung

Usually the lynx of the Canada has a silver-gray coat in the winter, which is great for blending in with the snow, and reddish-brown in the summer. If some variations exist depending on the species, this is the first time that a black Canada lynx has been observed.

“The individual was filmed during the summer in the Yukon. It had a black coat containing whitish gray guard hairs. , detailed Thomas Jung.

A lynx du Canada noir

The researcher managed to film the animal for several seconds using his mobile phone. The lynx was in a residential area near a forest and seemed unafraid of locals and their dogs barking just 50 meters away. Although the quality of the video is poor, the researcher says that 'this observation has scientific value'.

Photo credit: Thomas Jung

Other researchers looked into this video and confirmed that it was indeed a Canada lynx, observing the morphology, size and silhouette of the animal.

A lynx with melanism

According to animal experts, if this lynx is noir , it is because he suffers from melanism. This is a common phenomenon in felines that occurs in a third of species. Melanism is a genetic mutation that increases the production of melanin in the body and causes the coat to darken.

Photo credit: iStock

If this particularity can be beneficial for certain animals, the researchers believe that it is a disadvantage for this lynx. As it is black, it cannot camouflage itself in the snow in winter in order to hunt its prey and is much more noticeable. Studies will be conducted to learn more about this unique animal.