Detroit Zoo offers new info, health update on rare lynx captured in Michigan

Lynx captured by DNR. (Photo: Howell Nature Center staff)

The Detroit Zoo offered an update on the rare lynx captured in Michigan earlier this month.

The lynx, captured by the Michigan DNR on March 19, was transferred to the Howell Nature Center after it was captured. It was then transferred to the Detroit Zoo.

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As of last week, the lynx was undergoing examination to determine if and when it can be returned to the wild.

In February, the DNR confirmed the first lynx sighting in the Lower Peninsula and the first in Michigan since 2003. Monique Touchette-Soper of Lexington, Michigan captured the animal walking through woods near her home.

Here's the latest update on the lynx from the Detroit Zoo:

The lynx is a female. She is just over 4 feet long and weighs 18 pounds. Based on her size, teeth and other factors, she is believed to be less than a year old. She has a wound on her right rear foot caused by the leg trap that was used to capture her.

The wound was cleaned and sutured closed. She is receiving fluids, antibiotics and medication to relieve any discomfort. She is also being treated for fleas. A blood sample was saved for submission to the U.S. Forest Service for DNA analysis to determine where the lynx originated from.

The Michigan DNR is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine the next steps and where she will go from here. In the meantime, she is eating well and receiving expert care from DZS life sciences staff.

She is not viewable to the public in order to minimize her exposure to humans and maximize her comfort level.


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.