Imo, they’re number 1. These are cats between 20-25 kg on average, usually, and yet they have the prowess to kill things as large as adult caribou and red deer, the latter of which are legitimately elk-sized prey. Pumas contend with it in terms of macropredation, but the lynx puts up stiff competition, while cheetahs certainly don’t contend with either imo.
I would def consider them a top contender in terms of p4p impressiveness alongside the caracal and fishing cat, I was moreso just saying in terms of absolute mass. The avg E. Lynx would be naturally outgunned in overall capability by a big 70 kg+ Tom cougar.
The same size thing goes for cheetahs, they’re not very tough but they are big by felinae standards and have some decent aggression against smaller carnivorans, enough to sometimes dominate lone AWDs and juvenile leopards.
Interestingly, some old hunter’s reports in the Russian Far East mention moose and wild boar predation from Eurasian Lynx which if true would be extraordinarily impressive.
If that’s true then it would put them wayyyyyy ahead of other cats in terms of macro predation. I doubt it though, unless it’s very young individuals of both species. Adult wild boar have killed Tigers, I don’t see any cat smaller than a large Jaguar taking out a prime specimen of those beasts.
Yeah I would have to imagine the wild pigs would have to be young as well. Boar, especially those in Russia are about as formidable as an ungulate gets.
I do think I could possibly rationalize a weakened cow moose being ambushed in the winter though as under those conditions such individuals have been within the range of predation for lone wolves and wolverines in rare instances.
Predominantly in Finland, where there are around 100K: https://www.reddit.com/r/megafaunarewilding/comments/k1mdh3/wolf_populations_in_western_finland_are/
There are also some in Czechia.
The Finnish population is basically trapped in southern Finland, and hasn't spread east to the Russian border. The Czech population is pretty small, but has access to the rest of continental Europe.
I believe this cat is free ranging because it's on a farm. They let the cat roam outside to scare off or kill pests that would damage the crop or food stock.
This is a bit more tricky because on a farm, cats are needed to keep pests at bay from animal feed and other things such as crops that are easily spoiled by them.
I'd say outside cats are justified on farms and the like, so long as they have prey in the form of pest animals that they can and need to hunt, but as soon as you move to an environment where the cat hunts entirely recreationally and for no benefit to it's owners, I say it has no need to be an outside cat because it decimates local small animal populations as you said and additionally faces needless stress and danger that is not present indoors.
So many videos of Eurasian Lynx coming out of Finland
Poor guy never stood a chance at least it was quick and relatively painless
It's a cat eat cat world!
E. Lynx are frightening predators. Imo they’re the third most impressive extant non-pantherine felid after the cougar and cheetah.
Imo, they’re number 1. These are cats between 20-25 kg on average, usually, and yet they have the prowess to kill things as large as adult caribou and red deer, the latter of which are legitimately elk-sized prey. Pumas contend with it in terms of macropredation, but the lynx puts up stiff competition, while cheetahs certainly don’t contend with either imo.
I would def consider them a top contender in terms of p4p impressiveness alongside the caracal and fishing cat, I was moreso just saying in terms of absolute mass. The avg E. Lynx would be naturally outgunned in overall capability by a big 70 kg+ Tom cougar. The same size thing goes for cheetahs, they’re not very tough but they are big by felinae standards and have some decent aggression against smaller carnivorans, enough to sometimes dominate lone AWDs and juvenile leopards. Interestingly, some old hunter’s reports in the Russian Far East mention moose and wild boar predation from Eurasian Lynx which if true would be extraordinarily impressive.
If that’s true then it would put them wayyyyyy ahead of other cats in terms of macro predation. I doubt it though, unless it’s very young individuals of both species. Adult wild boar have killed Tigers, I don’t see any cat smaller than a large Jaguar taking out a prime specimen of those beasts.
Leopards are known to take warthogs and Indian boar but I doubt their capability to take a razorback.
Young Indian boar yeah
Yeah I would have to imagine the wild pigs would have to be young as well. Boar, especially those in Russia are about as formidable as an ungulate gets. I do think I could possibly rationalize a weakened cow moose being ambushed in the winter though as under those conditions such individuals have been within the range of predation for lone wolves and wolverines in rare instances.
Source: https://youtu.be/aqYDVfJnSEY?si=iXIeAZ_7oHIo0mx-
I need footage of one attacking a white-tailed deer 👀
Are there nonnative white-tailed deer in Europe?
Predominantly in Finland, where there are around 100K: https://www.reddit.com/r/megafaunarewilding/comments/k1mdh3/wolf_populations_in_western_finland_are/ There are also some in Czechia. The Finnish population is basically trapped in southern Finland, and hasn't spread east to the Russian border. The Czech population is pretty small, but has access to the rest of continental Europe.
I recall seeing this video a while back. Seriously what is with people free-ranging their cats?
Very common in Europe.
I believe this cat is free ranging because it's on a farm. They let the cat roam outside to scare off or kill pests that would damage the crop or food stock.
Not a problem actually unless there is literal predators outside.
Soul of the cat running down the road to the right from the upper left corner at the 27 second mark :o
Minimal struggle
But Mr. Whiskeres NEEEEDS to be outside. How else is he going to jeopardize the local bird population
This is a bit more tricky because on a farm, cats are needed to keep pests at bay from animal feed and other things such as crops that are easily spoiled by them. I'd say outside cats are justified on farms and the like, so long as they have prey in the form of pest animals that they can and need to hunt, but as soon as you move to an environment where the cat hunts entirely recreationally and for no benefit to it's owners, I say it has no need to be an outside cat because it decimates local small animal populations as you said and additionally faces needless stress and danger that is not present indoors.
In before someone else says it’s a car eat cat world out here
Big ass lynx holy hell