A lynx that was in the care of the BC Wildlife Park has now been released back into the wild today.
The lynx was taken into care after being on the North Shore last month. It was treated for an infection with antibiotics and also had a four-centimetre-long stick taken out of its eye socket according to park staff.
And why was it on the North Shore? Animal care supervisor at the park, Tracey Reynolds, says its possible it was being fed by area residents.
Reynolds says lynx are reclusive animals that normally avoid humans and populated areas, so she says to find one within city limits was pretty rare.
“I believe he definitely was catching some feral cats and then there was some indication that maybe he was being fed. Although people mean well, they are definitely not doing the right thing because if the animal can’t find a source of food where it is at, then it will continue to move on.” Reynolds says.
“Now the animal is finding a source of food so he might stick around and then Kamloops is extremely dangerous for a wild animal. There is so much traffic and other hazards that they wouldn’t have any experience with, so the chances of him then getting hit by a car and being killed that way are really high.”
The lynx was taken to an “undisclosed location” by the BC Conservation Officer Service.
Reynolds says its important for people in Kamloops to report all wild animal sightings to Conservation Officers, so that they’re able to investigate, if needed.
The lynx that the Bc Conservation Officer Service brought to the BC Wildlife Park at the end of October has now been…
Posted by BC Wildlife Park on Friday, November 13, 2020
– with files from Victor Kaisar