Many wildlife photographers and conservationists dedicate years of time and research to get a glimpse of elusive animals, setting camera traps or waiting out in the open. But sometimes, by sheer luck, these encounters happen to ordinary people. This was the case of a man named Gary Shattuck, who came across an odd-looking bobcat as he drove—only it wasn't a bobcat.
Curious about the animal he spotted as he drove around central Vermont, Shattuck decided to take out his phone and record the feline. Hoping to get some expert insight, he sent the video to Vermont Fish & Wildlife. Not only did they give Shattuck an answer, but they were taken aback. The man had come across an elusive and rare Canada lynx. They then posted the video to Facebook with a quick explanation for all the enjoy.
“Canada lynx are a federally threatened species and they're elusive even in Maine and New Hampshire where they're more common than our neck of the woods,” writes Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “Here in Vermont, lynx are also a state endangered species, rarely seen at all and almost never outside of the Northeast Kingdom. That makes any verifiable sighting in our state a big deal!”
The last sighting in the state occurred in 2018, much farther north. People in the know had long been looking forward to a Canada lynx appearance, flooding Vermont Fish & Wildlife's inbox with clips of creatures that turned out to be regular bobcats. To help others identify Canada lynxes, the team put together a small guide. “Giant back feet? Check! All black tail tip? Check! Telltale upward sloping hind quarters? Check! That's no bobcat, it's a Canada Lynx!”
Some people were worried about the state of the animal and the idea of finding it in nature, but the agency was quick to address it. “About this particular lynx: yes, it's on the thinner side, but that's not cause for alarm. Neither is the fact that it's so calm about a nearby vehicle and observer,” they explain. “Lynx are a northwoods species and this one was most likely a young male just passing through southern Vermont on the search for new territory, a behavior called ‘dispersing.' During their demanding journey, a dispersing lynx like this is mostly focused on finding food and avoiding conflicts with local wildlife. If people don't bother it, it won't be too worried about people.”
Finally, the staff of Vermont Fish & Wildlife believe the feline must have left the area already, as lynxes of this kind can cover long distances in short time—particularly in well-connected places such as Vermont's wild lands. “We wish this lynx luck, wherever they are going!” they concluded.
A man named Gary Shattuck came across an elusive and rare Canada lynx while driving through Vermont.
h/t: [The Dodo]
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