The young lynx leaves its mother at the age of 9 months and goes in search of its new territory. Once found, it will settle there for life. It chooses a vacant space unmarked by other individuals (jugal marking by cheek rubbing or anogenital marking by urine sprinkling). Sometimes a lynx that has become too old is driven out of its domain by a younger one. Lynxes seldom live in the plains and prefer mountain forests. Their home range can extend from 38 to 154 sq miles (100 to 400 km²).