Lynx

“FLOATING” ON POWDER SNOW

During the long winter months, the Canada lynx feeds mainly on snowshoe hares, chasing them in deep powder snow without sinking in.

How is it able to “float” on the snow this way? The lynx’s huge paws covered in coarse hairs allow it to move around easily. Despite the big cat’s size, its weight is distributed over a larger surface, thus reducing the pressure on the snow. The lynx can even spread its toes to increase the contact surface between then and the snow.

Many inventions for travelling in and on snow use the same principle as the lynx’s paws. Take snowshoes, whose large surface allows us to walk on powder snow. Manufacturers have also applied this principle to create high-performance off-trail skis. These very wide skis allow skiers to float on the powder snow and facilitate turns and jumps.

For more information on the animal:
Winter royalty: the Canadian Lynx