Unknown Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx: New findings on the species ecology and behaviour

In this monograph, we present new findings and hypotheses on Eurasian lynx ecology and behaviour. Initially, we used a traditional approach to study lynxes in the wild, with telemetry as one of the main research methods. However, as several artefacts and shortcomings of this method to study lynx behaviour became apparent, we gradually elaborated a new, non-invasive method based on tracking and reading of lynx activity signs, in combination with extensive, 'smart' camera trapping. This approach yielded interesting and surprising results, strikingly different from what was known before; for example: lynxes are much more social than what is generally believed, mainly hunt from ambuscades and interfere strongly with wolves. Adult males guard small spots of sheltered mating habitat during the whole cold season and these spots are so important they mainly determine winter home range usage. Several other details of mating behaviour were revealed, for example: males climb high in trees to emit mating calls. These and many other findings are strongly related to the local conditions in our non-rocky study areas in the temperate forests of Belarus.
Indeed, a lot of the current knowledge on lynx behaviour and ecology is based on research carried out in rocky or mountainous areas, while the largest part of the Eurasian lynx range is non-rocky. The research is still on-going and we will publish a comprehensive book on lynx ecology in Belarus in a few years but we wanted to share the new findings and current hypotheses already at this stage of the research. Each chapter starts with a statement based on our findings, the statement is followed by a short literature review regarding the topic, an assumption on why the topic has not been studied yet, and finally our own data and information sources, among which many photo documentations.