Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications
Photo Credit: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo
Hello Monty! |
All new Canadian lynx arrived in Seattle last year and are ready to meet you on the Living Northwest Trail at Woodland Park Zoo. All three live in brand-new lynx facilities and have come to Seattle from zoos across the country. Yukon, 3, is from the Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo, Monty, 3, is from the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, and Marty, 3, is from the Minnesota Zoo.
Yukon explores habitat on the Living Northwest Trail. |
Two of the young male lynxes were recently renamed, allowing both the animal and its name to become ambassadors for the Pacific Northwest. The lynx was named Monty and Yukon by friends at the zoo who have generously supported the zoo and its wildlife conservation efforts. The name is inspired by Canada’s mighty Yukon River and Montreal, Quebec, one of his largest cities in the country. A third lynx, Marty, has been enjoying the habitat since it opened in November 2022.
Here in Marty, you can clearly see the bushy ears that characterize the lynx. |
Want to know how to tell who is who? The Yukon is the most distinguishable of the three. He is the smallest and has a brownish color, in contrast to Marty and Monty’s grey. His ears are smaller compared to the rest, and his eyes are more almond-shaped, unlike his two other round-shaped eyes.
All these cool cats come to life in the dynamic movement of nuclear fission and fusion in the new exhibit. That is, they can move in and out of any social combination. Whenever you visit here, you can expect to see one lynx, two lynx, and possibly all three.
I can’t get enough of Monty’s gorgeous eyes! |
Lynx Details:
Lynx lives in alpine habitats in northern forests throughout North America. Globally, this species is at low risk of extinction. But in Washington State, the lynx is endangered. These mammals depend on healthy forests and abundant snow cover to hunt their prey. With less snowfall due to climate change and frequent wildfires burning habitat in the region, the lynx and its prey are becoming extremely scarce. Woodland Park Zoo and its partners are studying both lynx and wolverines to help restore lynx and wolverine populations in the Cascade Range.
The Yukon appears to be the brightest of the three males. |
Woodland Park Zoo advocates for the conservation of species and spaces around the Pacific Northwest through its zoos. Living Northwest Program, lynx, wolverines and many other animals. The exhibit and its associated website, We Are Living Northwest, provide visitors with the many conservation actions that can be taken to help the species that share the region’s iconic landscape.
Peek-a-boo with Marty. |