Lynx on the loose!

[bunn]

Police are searching for a Eurasian Lynx that escaped from Dartmoor Zoo overnight.  It had dug its way out of its enclosure after arriving yesterday.

I wonder if they will be able to find it, in this area of tangled woods, rivers, heathland and small meadows or if it will join the illicit beavers and Nobody Mention the wild boar as permanent residents.

That's assuming, of course, that we don't have lynx already.  I know the previous owner of the zoo was convinced that there were wild lynx in the area, but he was a bit nutty, so I'm not entirely convinced that the lynx he thought he had seen signs of weren't actually his own lynx who had popped out for a wander about before going home for lunch. :-D  On the other hand, the Legendary Dartmoor site has a very jolly list of big cat sightings on the moor, so who knows?  Maybe this one will join a breeding population.  After the Dangerous Wild Animals act in 1976, a number of cats of various kinds were released by private owners who were unable to meet the new license requirements, and some people think some of them have naturalised.

I just hope that if they do catch a lynx, it matches the description.  We had an incident a while ago with an escaped beaver, which when recaptured had apparently become several years younger and changed sex, which was just confusing for everyone :-D

I can live with wandering lynx, but I do hope they will keep a careful eye on the jaguar. 

Comments

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

OMG!

Nobody Mention the wild boar as permanent residents

I did read an article about that lately. I don't know if the article was recent, but I stumbled across it by accident doing story research for a boar hunt segment! Never mind.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

There were several farm escapes /releases by animal rights people of wild boar being raised for meat over the last 20 years, and they seem to be pretty well established around here now, specially on the Devon side of the river and around Dartmoor. I suppose they were native originally. I haven't seen one myself, but I do look out for them: much more alarming than lynx!

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

We had an incident a while ago with an escaped beaver, which when recaptured had apparently become several years younger and changed sex, which was just confusing for everyone :-D Not least for the beaver I presume.

I'm currently planning on writing an ACD Holmes spoof on Flanders and Swann Gnu Song - I may make use of parts of this ;)

[penichops.livejournal.com]

No way!

[anna-wing.livejournal.com]

So...that was confirmation that beavers have been naturalised in your area?

If the lynx is used to regular meals and a warm place to sleep, it may just come back again if left alone.

Our local zoo had a jaguar wander out on the heels of her keeper, who had been cleaning her enclosure. She found the outside so traumatic that all he had to do was basically offer her some (more) food and go "here, kitty, kitty". And then they had to close the exhibit for a few days, presumably for intensive jaguar therapy.

European wild boar are terrifying and gigantic, if I recall correctly.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

The comical thing about the beaver is that I have yet to see a news story drawing the conclusion that there must be two beavers :-D

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Fauna of Britain becomes richer by the day, apparently!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I assume so, although there appears to be no official recognition of them!

Aw. Jaguars have such a menacing reputation, too.

They are using dog traps to try to catch our missing lynx, but so far without success, I understand.

[anna-wing.livejournal.com]

I've never actually seen ours awake. They're usually draped scenically over a branch with all four paws hanging down, living the good life.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you had wild boar too. We have seen their tracks in the Forest of Dean, but none in the flesh.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I've not seen them (they are mostly on the Devon side, I believe, I don't think many have made it across the Tamar). But there are supposed to be a fair number around Tavistock.