THE SIBERIAN LYNX

By: Glenn Wilsey, Sr.

The cat you see in this picture is a Siberian lynx. He was born in captivity, right here in Florida. His name is Lenin. Classified as the Eurasian Lynx because they are found throughout Europe, the scientific name of the Siberian lynx is Lynx lynx. Lenin has never known the severe cold weather of Northern Europe and as you can see, he really enjoys living here under the Florida sun. With Lenin in this picture is our mutual friend, John Jones. John is an animal trainer and naturalist, who owns Wild Florida Productions, Inc. in Miami, Florida. He can be reached by calling 786-242-1807. John and his animals do a lot of shows for social functions, school seminars and parties. John has many exotic animals but his favorite animals are otters and I’m sure the otters will make for a great story in the future.

The Siberian Lynx is much bigger than the bobcat (Lynx rufus) that we usually find here in North America. The Siberian Lynx is the largest of the lynx family, weighing up to eighty pounds. They feed on many of the same things that bobcats feed on including rodents, birds and small animals, however, because he is bigger, the Siberian lynx can take down animals as large as a deer. In some parts of Europe, lynx are endangered primarily due to loss of habitat. In fact, the Lynx are getting very hard to find even in the cold and vast wilderness of Siberia. Because the Siberian Lynx are so big, farmers dislike them because they can and occasionally do kill livestock and sheep. I think it’s hard enough living in an environment as cold and harsh as Siberia and man needs to learn to understand and live within the ecosystem with the Lynx.

Although the Siberian Lynx has it pretty tough in the wild, Lenin has it pretty easy living with john. As you can see, Lenin is healthy and as happy as a Lynx can be. One cool thing about John is that he is a naturalist and has a great love for his animals. John also shares my belief that if you do not love your animals and if they do not love you then you can never trust them! Love is one of the keys to training animals and earning their trust.

Although the Siberian Lynx is not indigenous to The Everglades, I hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s story. From time to time I may write about animals or other topics that are not related to The Everglades. It helps to break up the monotony and make sure you’re all still paying attention. I do like to go out on other airboat tour operator’s tours and see their shows to experience new places and meet lots of cool people. Some of these people have exotic animals and have been glad to help me with my stories. John Jones is one of those wonderful people!

If you have any questions, send e-mail to: Gatorman1@aaof.us

Well, until next month, remember… NATURE RULES!

Sincerely yours, Glenn W. Wilsey Sr. (GATORMAN)

*This story or any part of it can not be used or reproduced with out written permission of the author!