The Missing Lynx

The cat, named Flaviu, is the size of a large domestic cat and could be dangerous if cornered, police said
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That's either a very small Lynx or they have huge domestic cats in Devon ;)
 
More likely D&C Plod are clueless!

DZP don't seem to be having much luck with their cats in recent months, although at least this one should be rescuable.

Much as I would like one (and it IS my birthday!), I'm pretty sure he's better off back in a decent sized enclosure with expert keepers. Besides, current cat wouldn't like it!

One of the local papers is apparently saying he dug his way out of the enclosure but that rag is nicknamed the Excessive Error (by its staff)...
 
Nod said:
More likely D&C Plod are clueless!

DZP don't seem to be having much luck with their cats in recent months, although at least this one should be rescuable.

Much as I would like one (and it IS my birthday!), I'm pretty sure he's better off back in a decent sized enclosure with expert keepers. Besides, current cat wouldn't like it!

One of the local papers is apparently saying he dug his way out of the enclosure but that rag is nicknamed the Excessive Error (by its staff)...
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In this instance, they seem to be correct (well, chewed his way out).
They've been pretty careless with their animals in the last few years. :D
 
The Jaguar escape was the result of a volunteer's total disregard to instructions (and he was lucky not to get his head bitten off by Sovereign! - the head keeper did that as he was firing him.) The deaths are all down to the current owner inheriting an aged population. The lynx situation shouldn't have arisen but has. Not sure if he's been recaptured yet - last I heard, they'd narrowed the search down to the corner of a farm. Have to see what the local news say later.
 
Nod said:
The Jaguar escape was the result of a volunteer's total disregard to instructions (and he was lucky not to get his head bitten off by Sovereign! - the head keeper did that as he was firing him.) The deaths are all down to the current owner inheriting an aged population. The lynx situation shouldn't have arisen but has. Not sure if he's been recaptured yet - last I heard, they'd narrowed the search down to the corner of a farm. Have to see what the local news say later.
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And the wolf...twice? ;) (Pre Mee)
I'm familiar with Ben Mee's story from "We bought a zoo". His book, NOT the film.
 
I like the re-wilding idea's being put forward for Lynx Wolves & bears so have to admit I like the idea of this lil one running free, I'm sure its been able to pick up enough rabbits or maybe the odd fox to keep it going.
 
Amusing to read that, once again, the tree huggers area anthropomorphising Flavio, citing distress at separation from his mother as a reason for his escape. :lol:
 
Is there any particular/sensible reason why they can't just leave the lynx alone?
 
MartynK said:
Is there any particular/sensible reason why they can't just leave the lynx alone?
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Because he is in danger of being shot :(
There is a lot of livestock on Dartmoor and the local farmers won't take kindly to a lynx threatening their livelihood
 
MartynK said:
Is there any particular/sensible reason why they can't just leave the lynx alone?
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He's also a privately owned animal, and the zoo will face an absolute s***storm if he injures someone, or worse.
 
Gremlin said:
Because he is in danger of being shot :(
There is a lot of livestock on Dartmoor and the local farmers won't take kindly to a lynx threatening their livelihood
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This. There are sheep in the fields directly adjoining the zoo (much to the enrichment for the cats whose enclosures back onto that field!) and domestic sheep in a field would be a perfect larder for him (IF he's got enough instinct to hunt them down/kill them.) On that point, if he hasn't got the necessary skills to hunt and kill for himself, he'll die a slow death.

viv1969 said:
He's also a privately owned animal, and the zoo will face an absolute s***storm if he injures someone, or worse.
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And this! Although I would think he's unlikely to deliberately attack an innocent passer by, he probably would if he was cornered, even accidentally.
 
just done a quick google and sheep are not on there prey list ,rabbits ,hares,squirrels plus voles etc and carrion if found . sheep are more endangered by dogs running loose than a solitary lynx .
 
Check again... While Wiki isn't a definitive answer, they list domestic sheep as a Summer food source.
 
viv1969 said:
He's also a privately owned animal, and the zoo will face an absolute s***storm if he injures someone, or worse.
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I doubt he will go any where near the human population, Lynx are naturally shy, but you never know.

the black fox said:
just done a quick google and sheep are not on there prey list ,rabbits ,hares,squirrels plus voles etc and carrion if found . sheep are more endangered by dogs running loose than a solitary lynx .
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Perhaps not but local farmers will perceive a threat :(
 
Yeay!!! :woot:
 
I see they now plan to get him some pus... company! Not sure if that'll keep him happy or make him leg it again!!!
 
They really do not do a good job of keeping their animals secure do they!
Lynx, wolf, jaguar - only a matter of time before Leo gets loose I reckon.
 
The wolf and jaguar were both before Ben Mee took the zoo over. The jaguar was effectively let out by a volunteer trying to be helpful and ignoring instructions and strict protocols (and was lucky that Sovereign wanted out more than lunch!)
 
Nod said:
The jaguar was effectively let out by a volunteer trying to be helpful
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It now seems ( I missed which zoo it was) that people are jumping barriers to have "selfies" with the animals, the one in question was a dad holding his kids hand while the kid was
the "wrong" side of a Rhino enclosure! :rolleyes:
 
Cobra said:
It now seems ( I missed which zoo it was) that people are jumping barriers to have "selfies" with the animals, the one in question was a dad holding his kids hand while the kid was
the "wrong" side of a Rhino enclosure! :rolleyes:
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I sometimes wonder at what age do folks develop what is known as an "imagination"?
I remember going to Chessington zoo in my teens, looking at a large tiger, and thinking - "that is why they call them "big cats"", and then immediately thinking how much they ate (because I have always liked my food) to get to that size, followed by wondering who it would choose first when it escaped, followed by wishing that I had kept my chip eating habit in check because I would make quite an attractive meal for the beast.
 
Cobra said:
It now seems ( I missed which zoo it was) that people are jumping barriers to have "selfies" with the animals, the one in question was a dad holding his kids hand while the kid was
the "wrong" side of a Rhino enclosure! :rolleyes:
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I think I mentioned in another thread a woman who stood her wobbly toddler on the tigers' moat wall while she scrabbled around in her handbag for her phone to take a fun snap. Got her arse in her hand when it was pointed out that her actions were stupid and could have resulted in her son and the freshly fed tiger ending up dead had the brat fallen in. The joy of DZP is the lack of wire or glass between you and some of the exhibits but if people continue to be stupid, I can see them having to put fencing up, although if the do have to, I think they should be able to get away with fairly wide mesh so we can still poke lenses through and not get wires in shot.
 
andy700 said:
I sometimes wonder at what age do folks develop what is known as an "imagination"?
I remember going to Chessington zoo in my teens, looking at a large tiger, and thinking - "that is why they call them "big cats"", and then immediately thinking how much they ate (because I have always liked my food) to get to that size, followed by wondering who it would choose first when it escaped, followed by wishing that I had kept my chip eating habit in check because I would make quite an attractive meal for the beast.
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LOL I think your imagination is fully devolved Andy :D
 
Reports of a big cat on the loose in Cornwall now! A lorry driver spotted it and a local plod reported big pawprints in the area. FTR, the 2 lions (OK, one lion, one lioness...) they have at DZP seem remarkably content to lie around most of the day, moving to get a bit of lunch.

During the safety briefing we had on our tiger experience a while back, the keeper told us we didn't need to outrun an escaped cat, just the other visitors! (This was after the sensible bit when we were advised not to run but to stay still and make ourselves look as big as possible. Personally, I reckon the smell of crap would put it right off the idea of food!!!)
 
Nod said:
Reports of a big cat on the loose in Cornwall now!
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Its probably the beast of Dartmoor, nipped down there for a bit of peace and quiet after all the fuss the Lynx caused.
 
Or the beast of Bodmin on a jolly?
Maybe one of Yvonne's Maine coons on a day trip. :-)
 
Norty!

21 JULY 2016 • 12:45PM


For years, the rumours of big cats roaming Dartmoor and savaging livestock have been dismissed as sheer fantasy, no more credible than claims of the existence of the Loch Ness monster.

But the doubters may have - dare one say it - paws for thought.

For the claims that Big Cats are roaming free may actually be true, with the mystery of how they got to Dartmoor and nearby Exmoor and Bodmin Moor solved at last.

It is now claimed that three pumas were released onto the wilds of Dartmoor by Mary Chipperfield, the famous circus owner, after her zoo in Plymouth was forced to shut down in 1978.

More Here
 
Says a lot that her widower now breeds white tigers.
 
Flaviu is apparently settling in a bit now, although he's still described as a bit feisty! Plans are still afoot to get him some company but whether that'll be a partner in crime or a mate hasn't yet been revealed. He had made the leap from carrion to sheep so they moved all the sheep out of his terrirtory and left a few baited traps which did the job. Just need the kids to go back to school then we'll be heading down to see him (and the rest of the menagerie!)
 
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