Lynx get Entertained

The lynx at Wildwood have had a new toy built in their enclosure by the keepers.

Wildwood's two female Eurasian lynx, Cara and Shira need to be kept entertained and the keepers are always trying to find new ways to make meal times more exciting.

Keepers Alan Keeling and Chris Jewel built a contraption in their enclosure so that they could hang meat from a chain some 10' above the ground. The lynx took time to work out that they could jump high enough to reach the meat. Initially they tried to used a sapling to reach it but the sapling bent under their weight, then they tried to climb the framework, in the end they jumped.

A large crowd gathered around the enclosure when they first used it and visitors were intrigued to see if Cara and Shira would actually get the meat, which in the end, they did.

"They took a while to get it" commented Alan Keeling Deputy Head Keeper at Wildwood Trust, "and each time we use it they seem to forget how to get the meat and they act as if they have never jumped for the meat before."

Eurasian lynx were once common in Britain, and new evidence suggests that they may have been present just 800 years ago they became extinct probably as a result of hunting by humans and habitat loss.

Lynx are just one of the huge range of British animals that can be seen at the Wildwood Discovery Park as well, for more information visit the website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 782 0087.

Wildwood is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, wild boar and many more.

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury. For more information visit our website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 782 0081.

Lynx Facts

Lynx - Lynx lynx

The Eurasian lynx is a solitary cat that haunts the remote northern forests of Europe and Asia.

Well adapted to a cold climate, these cats have a beautiful thick coat of fur. Their feet are very large and hit the ground with a spreading motion like a snowshoe, preventing them from sinking into deep snow. Their short tail reduces the surface area of their body, and thus reduces heat loss.

There are three other species of lynx found in different parts of the world. The Canadian lynx and the bobcat are found in North America, and the critically endangered Iberian lynx is found in Spain and Portugal. All lynx species share the characteristic ear and jaw tufts, bobbed tail, long legs and muscular body

Distribution: Once common throughout Europe and Asia, the Eurasian lynx has become extinct in most of Central and Western Europe. Several successful reintroduction programmes in Europe have begun to return the lynx to its natural range.

Main threats: Habitat loss and hunting.

Preferred habitat: Forest, scrub woodland and rocky hills and mountains.

Favourite food: Deer, birds, rabbits, rodents.

Size: 70 cm tall
Weight: Up to 30 kg
Life span: Up to 24 years

Breeding: The mating season occurs between February and March, and between 1 and 4 kittens are born between May and June. The kittens are raised by their mother and become independent at 10 months old

Photos: Wildwood Trust