Canada Lynx (North American Wildlife by Safari Ltd)

Today I am in a city being hit by the first winter storm of the year…in September. Again. Which immediately put me in the mood to discuss an animal that might be far more comfortable with this miserable weather–the Canada Lynx Lynx canadensis Kerr 1792 made by Safari Ltd released as part of their North American Wildlife (NAW) line of animals in 2016. The figure itself is about 4.8cm tall at the shoulder; for a female which stands about 48cm this figure would be 1:10 (there’s no indication that it is male…which at 56cm would scale at 1: 12).

Canada lynx are modest-sized (5-48 kg) cats, one of three species in the genus Lynx. They are found in much of northern North America, from Alaska through Canada to the eastern maritime provinces except for the treeless southern prairies and the northern–most coastal areas. These limits relate to the limits of their preferred prey, the snowshoe hare. Canada lynx also have a limited range further south into a few pockets of the Rocky Mountains. As with many medium and large carnivores, there are parts of the Canada lynx range where they have been extirpated or at least reduced in population, although overall they are considered Least Concern.

Canada lynx are highly adapted to their snowy and cold environments. They have longer and thicker fur compared to their similar relative the bobcat Lynx rufus, as well as longer ear tufts and wider feet. The fur also tends toward a lighter colouration and around the face, and the ruff on the cheeks grows thicker in winter. All of this is for an animal the lives in cold and snow, and survives mainly by being able to catch snowshoe hares even in deep snow. The thick fur and big feet help act as snowshoes for these predatory cats even as they move along the deep snow.

So what is the figure like? Overall impressions have an animal that is well-sculpted and very representative. The proportions have the very Lynx look, with a short body compared to long legs. The body could possibly stand to be a little shorter, but isn’t too off. It has the characteristic stumpy tail and ruffed face, with the long ear tufts. The tufts could be a bit longer, but this might be a limit of a PVC figure. The legs are correctly proportioned, with longer back legs than short legs. When on a flat surface the slope and leg differences stand out more clearly.

The base colour scheme is very appropriate for a Canada lynx, with a yellowish colour and a grey-ish wash over it all. There are no spots or other markings on most of the body, which is acceptable for Canada lynx, which can have a flat coat colour or have at most a light pattern of spotting. The legs have thick black stripes on them which seems like a bit much, since again, the legs in the actual animal are usually more lightly-spotted if anything. Finally, the face seems a bit too ovoid, with a rounder cheek than is usual. As always, the hardest thing for many toy makers is getting a cat face right, and they didn’t quite get there; the eyes feel a bit off and the markings also seem too heavy. But it’s not a major thing.

So how do I feel about this figure? Is this a figure worth getting? Certainly. Canada lynx are not common as figures (actually, Lynx is not all that common overall, although Safari does also make a bobcat). They are certainly not made as frequently as the bigger pantherine cats. There are some flaws, of course, but it is well made and a good represents of the species. It would be nice to see more of the smaller wild cats made as figures, but this is a good one. Best of all, being Safari, you know that it is just as appropriate for a toy box as for a collector’s shelf!