KIDS FOR CONSERVATION
Lynx : The Ghosts of the North
Do you believe in ghosts ?
The Louisville Zoo has a couple of ghosts on exhibit in the Cats of the Americas area — Canada lynx sisters Matilda and Sage . Canada lynx are sometimes called “ the gray ghosts of the north ” because they are elusive , avoiding contact with humans . Although they really aren ’ t ghostly or spooky , they might see you before you see them , as they expertly blend in with their surroundings .
Matilda and Sage were born at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in 2014 . They came to the Louisville Zoo in January of 2016 . Lynx are small cats , weighing about 20 pounds or about twice as large as the average house cat . “ Lynx are big cats in little bodies , ” said Louisville Zoo Keeper Sam Clites . “ They have strong personalities . I love how tough they are .” Lynx have long , black ear tufts , a short , black-tipped tail and large feet . Their furry paws help them to walk on the snow in some of the northern United States ,
Alaska and Canada . Lynx mostly hunt snowshoe hares but will also eat grouse , squirrels and other small rodents . Here at the Zoo , lynx eat meat specially formulated for cats as well as quail .
In nature , lynx prefer to live among trees to keep hidden , but their population ’ s survival is at risk because of habitat destruction . When mature forests are cut down , the lynx loses habitat needed for denning and raising their babies . The lynx population is classified as “ threatened .” That means they are at risk , but not yet endangered . The good news is lynx are still protected under the Endangered Species Act . Organizations are working hard to help the lynx population by redirecting loggers away from areas that are extremely important to lynx survival and connecting fragmented habitats to help give the lynx larger areas to roam .
With cooler temperatures arriving , autumn is a great time to get outdoors and explore ! Make sure to respect nearby habitats by simply observing wildlife while leaving plants and animals where they belong . Never leave behind any trash , even if it wasn ’ t yours ! Go ahead and pick it up to throw away or recycle later . These simple actions help ensure native wildlife and their natural habitats will be there for you and others to enjoy during this colorful season .
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Fall 2016 • 23
KIDS FOR CONSERVATION
Lynx: The
Ghosts of the North
Do you believe in ghosts?
The Louisville Zoo has a couple
of ghosts on exhibit in the Cats of
the Americas area — Canada lynx
sisters Matilda and Sage. Canada
lynx are sometimes called “the gray
ghosts of the north” because they
are elusive, avoiding contact with
humans. Although they really aren’t
ghostly or spooky, they might see
you before you see them, as they
expertly blend in with their surroundings.
Matilda and Sage were born at
the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in
2014. They came to the Louisville
Zoo in January of 2016. Lynx are
small cats, weighing about 20
pounds or about twice as large as
the average house cat. “Lynx are
big cats in little bodies, ” said Louisville Zoo Keeper Sam Clites. “They
have strong personalities. I love how
tough they are.” Lynx have long,
black ear tufts, a short, black-tipped
tail and large feet. Their furry paws
help them to walk on the snow in
some of the northern United States,
Alaska and Canada. Lynx mostly
hunt snowshoe hares but will also
eat grouse, squirrels and other small
rodents. Here at the Zoo, lynx eat
meat specially formulated for cats
as well as quail.
In nature, lynx prefer to live
among trees to keep hidden, but
their population’s survival is at risk
because of habitat destruction.
When mature forests are cut down,
the lynx loses habitat needed for
denning and raising their babies.
The lynx population is classified as
“threatened.” That means they are
at risk, but not yet endangered. The
good news is lynx are
still protected under the Endangered
Species Act. Organizations are working
hard to help the lynx
population by redirecting loggers away
from areas that are
extremely important
to lynx survival and
connecting fragment-
ed habitats to help give the lynx
larger areas to roam.
With cooler temperatures arriving, autumn is a great time to
get outdoors and explore! Make
sure to respect nearby habitats
by simply observing wildlife while
leaving plants and animals where
they belong. Never leave behind any
trash, even if it wasn’t yours! Go
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