This lynx could become the first UK zoo-born cat…
A lynx in England could become the first UK zoo-born cat to be efficiently launched into the wild.
The 9-month-old Eurasian lynx, who was born in the Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, has been moved to southwestern Germany’s Black Forest, which is an uncommon transfer for animals born and raised in zoos.
However, the request for its switch was made due to a scarcity of feminine lynxes in the European breeding program.
Dina Gebhardt, the lynx-breeding coordinator for the European Endangered Species Program, was the one behind the demand.
“Basically I’m Tinder for the zoo-born lynx,” she advised the BBC.
A lynx born in the Newquay Zoo has been moved to southwestern Germany’s Black Forest. Newquay Zoo/Facebook
“Our nature is very fragmented, due to railways and streets and cities. And this means we created a lot of barriers for the lynx, which leads to inbreeding.”
The animal will spend a number of months in an enclosure being monitored to see if it will possibly stand up to the new circumstances.
John Meek, curator of plants and animals at the Newquay Zoo, was there to oversee the transition.
“I’m a big boy but I had a few tears in my eyes,” Meek advised the outlet.
“Nowadays, zoos are not here to keep animals in cages. They’re there for conservation. And this is it, conservation in action.”
Eurasian lynx, which may weigh up to over 65 kilos, have been native to the UK, but have been worn out in the wild around 1,300 years in the past because of searching and habitat loss.
Stay in the loop with the newest trending topics! Visit our web site every day for the freshest life-style information and content material, thoughtfully curated to encourage and inform you.
