What niche are the lynx, coyote, and cougar competing to fill?

The lynx, coyote, and cougar are all carnivorous mammals that share overlapping habitats and may compete for similar food sources. The correct response highlights their competition for snowshoe hares, which are a significant prey item for these predators, particularly in snowy environments.

The lynx is especially adapted to hunt snowshoe hares, having physiological traits that allow it to move efficiently in snowy conditions and catch this specific prey. Coyotes and cougars, while they have more varied diets, also hunt snowshoe hares when they are available, leading to competition among these species in environments where their habitats overlap and hares are plentiful.

The other options focus on different prey or ecological niches that do not apply as directly to the behaviors and habitats of these predators. While deer are a target for some, the specifics of the question about competing niches most accurately reflects the interactions around snowshoe hares.