Carpathian lynx

Lynx lynx carpathicus

NZ Lynx 05 21 ONB LR
IUCN Conservation Status –
Least Concern
Extinct In The Wild
Class: Mammals
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae

We have a female Carpathian lynx here at the zoo. Kicsi is eight years old and you can find our lynx exhibit towards the top end of the zoo, near the meerkats.

Carpathian lynx are a sub-species of Eurasian lynx and are found in the Carpathian mountain regions in Europe.

Lynx are a carnivorous species, however they are not very fast runners and will rely on ambushing their prey. Their diet consists on rabbits, hares, rodents and grouse. But they have been known to prey on larger animals when these are scarce, such as roe deer or even reindeer.

Interesting facts!

  • Carpathian lynx are a sub species of the Eurasian lynx, which is the largest of all 4 lynx species and are the third largest predator in Europe.
  • Lynx have unique looking tufts on their ears which actually help to enhance their hearing.
  • Lynx have a gestation period of around 2 months, and will usually have between 1- 4 kittens. The mother will take care of the young on her own until they reach around 2 years old, which is when they start their independent lives.

Conservation

Carpathian lynx are classified as Least Concern, with the population widely distributed and stable throughout most of its range. However they still do face several threats in the wild, the main threat being habitat loss/ fragmentation, and also poaching and shortage of prey animals.

There is an important EAZA ex-situ breeding programme (EEP) for Carpathian lynx across Europe which we have been very successful in, in previous years. Since 2017, Boomer and Kisci have bred 4 healthy lynx kittens which have now moved on to other collections as part of the EEP.