How does the lynx’s reproduction and parenting help the survival of the species?

The reproduction on the lynx is rather complex. Mating will occur in late winter and early spring from February to April and the female will only raise their litter once a year and have an average of 1-4 cubs.

The courtship between lynxes is the time where two sexes are attracted to each other and synchronise their wanting to reproduce with one another. Only sexually mature lynxes are ready to perform this act through the male seeking out the females that are ready to mate. Both male and female lynxes use their scent to communicate with other lynxes during breeding time. Female lynxes will demonstrate though vocalisations a courtship method to attract males such as yowling and hissing.

If a male is confronted with another male the two will fight for the female and she will then choose the more dominant male. It is very important that female chooses the more dominant male because she wants her cubs to be as strong and healthy as possible and the DNA from the stronger male will mix with hers to create a new generation of strong and healthy lynx.

The fertilization is the process of the two sexes mating. The female will have her cub internally. The male’s sperm from the penis will meet with the egg inside the female’s body entering through the female’s vagina. Only a few eggs will be distributed because there is a high risk of the sperm meeting with the egg so the female’s body acts as a barrier allowing the embryo to develop within the mother. This extra protection increases the chances of survival because the female supplies everything that the embryo needs and will produce on an average around 1-4 cubs. The DNA from the dominant male will then mix with the females and produce a strong and healthy cub.

When an animal fertilizes external fertilizes this will occur mostly in wet environments and requires both the male and the female to release their gametes into their surroundings and they will distribute 1000’s of eggs at a time and hopefully meet. A big disadvantage with external fertilization is that environmental hazards such as predators greatly reduce the chance of surviving into adulthood because there is no barrier to make sure the eggs and sperm will meet it is entirely up to nature to take its course.

The parenting of the cub is done purely by the female and the male will take no part in looking after or raising the cub. The mother will teach her hunting skills to her cub by bringing back dead prey. The mother will then bring back an injured prey and allow the young to kill by themselves she will then take her cubs of a staling and killing mission teaching them how to hunt successfully. If a cub is abandoned by its mother it will not become a good hunter because it needs to learn the skills from its mother if it wants to become a successful hunter.

Lynxes will only raise her litter once a year so she is very dependant that her cubs will learn her skills and carry them onto the next generation. There is a high investment into the well being of the cub but there is high risk that if that cub dies that will be one generation gone. The mother will give all her knowledge and will teach her cub the skills she has learnt through her lifetime.

Lynxes are a snow cat but they do not hibernate during the winter, this is good for their survival because they can take advantage of the winter to teach the cubs valuable skills to enable their survival. She will let her cubs play and with one another to learn skills and exercise their brains and mussels moving, learning valuable skills on the “do’s” and “don’ts” needed for adulthood.