It’s not easy to catch a glimpse of a wild lynx. These shy felines are only found in the far north, and are equally (if not more) private than their cousin the mountain lion.
That’s why it’s such a treat to watch this rare YouTube video taken by a conservation officer named Alex Taylor. Taylor was investigating a call from Deer Lodge in Banff National Park when he came across the animal. The female lynx lingered in the area because it appeared to be fooled by its own reflection in a nearby basement window—it’s probable she thought it was another lynx, possibly a threat to her offspring.
Taylor stuck around to make sure that the lynx and her kitten safely left the area without becoming exposed to the ongoing threat of traffic on a nearby road. And, of course, to capture this amazing video of one of Canada’s most beautiful mammals.
While these types of sightings are normally quite uncommon, it’s possible there are more lynx in the area due to a recent boom in the snowshoe hare population. As one of the lynx’s primary food sources, the greater number of snowshoe hares may have reduced the size of territory for lynx. This would force them to venture closer to human habitats than usual.
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