A female Canada lynx recently arrived at the Wildlife Conservations Society’s Queens Zoo in Flushing.
The lynx came to its new home in Queens via the Minnesota Zoo, according to a press release from WCS. As part of the Canada lynx Species Survival Plan it will be paired for breeding with a male lynx already in residence at the Queens Zoo. This is part of a cooperative breeding program that aims to “enhance the genetic viability” of different species of animals living in zoos and aquariums. It’s accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Canada lynx are protected in the United States under the Endangered Species Act and are considered a threatened species. “Their numbers have declined due to trapping for their coats and timber harvesting which has altered habitat and significantly reduced the population of the snowshoe hare, the primary prey,” the press release states.
Canada lynx are medium-sized wild cats with pointed tufts on their ears, grayish-brown coats, and oversized paws that are covered in thick fur. Their paws act as snowshoes and keep the lynx from sinking into the deep snow that can be found in their native habitats. They live in Alaska, Canada, and the northern and western United States.
The Queens Zoo is open every day, year-round. Visitors can see the Canada lynx in the Animal Trail section of the zoo. The Queens Zoo is also home to American bison, California sea lions, coyotes, and pumas, among others. Kids can take part in the Conservation Quests and various family programs that the zoo provides.
Main image: A Canada lynx peers out of a crevice.
Julie Larsen Maher © WCS
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