Lynx may be the first British zoo-born cat released into the wild
Jonah Fisher

BBC Environmental Correspondent

ReportKarlsruch, Germany

Watch: Moment Lynx releases on NewQuay

Bobcats born in Cornwall Zoos may become the first British zoo born cat to be successfully released to the wild.

Animals born and raised in zoos are rarely considered for release because they either do not have survival skills or are already too accustomed to human interactions.

However, the shortage of female lyxes in the European breeding program has led to abnormal cat requirements at the Newquay Zoo.

It has been transferred to the Black Forest in Germany, and over the next few months it will be monitored in the fence to see if it meets the challenge.

Tony Jolliffe/BBC

Female Lynx was born at NewQuay Zoo and has now been transferred to a fence in Germany.

This week, the BBC watched AS under some wise stimulation with a broom, loading the Newquay Lynx onto a truck heading to southwest Germany.

Two days later we were in Germany as it was carved into a fence of 1200 m2. John Meek from Newquay Zoo was also on hand and saw the bobcat stroll carefully to the new home.

"I'm a big boy, but there are a few tears in my eyes," he said. "The zoo is not here to leave animals in cages. They are for protection. That's the protection action."

Thousands of Lynx have already roamed the European forests, but are working to introduce new cats to increase their genetic diversity, especially in Central Europe.

Although not officially classified as the "big cat" Eurasian lynx, it can weigh up to 30 kg and Hunter deer is used as food.

They were once Aboriginal people of Britain, and hundreds of years ago they were forced to extinction, while the British deer population was at record levels, calling for them to reintroduce.

Dina Gebhardt/Bern Animal Park Dina Gebhardt wearing glasses and holding a little baby Lynx kitten in his hand, smiling. She stood in front of what seemed to be the forest, with a smile on her face. Dina Gebhardt/Bern Animal Park

Dina Gebhardt of Bern Animal Park has launched a breeding program for lynxes, partners with men and women from all over Europe.

"Basically, I'm a Tinder of Lynx who was born for creatures," Dina Gebhardt of Bern's Animal Park smiled as I talked to her on Zoom.

It was she who sent the SOS from the Newquay Mountains.

She is the Lynx Reproduction Coordinator for the European Endangered Species Program (EEP), and she matches women and men from across the continent and looks for new homes for her offspring.

"We have very dispersed nature due to the railways, streets and cities. This means we create many obstacles for bobcats, which lead to inbreeding," Dina said.

To combat Dina, it was found that young lynxes in captivity could be introduced into the wild to increase their numbers and improve their genetic mixture. Typically, Dina's Lynxes are elevated from birth with minimal human contact, especially considering release.

But last year, Dina was frustrated that there were a lot of male lynxes born. Successful revival programs require women more than men.

So Dina contacted Newquay Zoo to ask if they could use a one-year-old woman.

"Of course, we'll say yes right away, that's what we want to do," said John Meek, a flora and fauna curator at Newquay Zoo.

Jonah Fisher/BBC Eva and Martin Crouch behind the bleeding corpse. There is a tape size near the corpse, and they are surrounded by forests. Jonah Fisher/BBC

Eva Klebelsberg and Martin Hauser, local wildlife officials, looked at the body of a deer that was killed by the forests of the German Black Forest.

Over the next few months, the bobcat will be monitored to see if it has the necessary skills to survive in the wild. Capturing and killing prey is not expected to be a problem.

“If you know your cat, you know that even a cat who lives in a room all his life can kill birds or mice once it comes out,” Eva Klebelsberg, who runs Baden-Württembg’s Lynx reintroduction program, told us.

We stood on the body of a deer deer in the black forest outside Karlsruhe. The few people already inhabited the forest, which was one of their killings.

There is a puncture mark on the throat - it's a sure sign.

“Our ecosystem in Europe lacks large predators,” Eva said. He explained that Lynx helps control deer populations and ensures that they continue to move forward and do not strip the forested areas.

The key issue with NewQuay Lynx may be its relationship with humans. Watching the visitor’s bar for life and being fed by the breeder for a lifetime, it will need to show that it will not look for more human interaction.

“Central Europe is very crowded and we don’t have a lot of space to accommodate large animals,” said Dr. Marco Roller of the Karlsruhe Zoo, who manages the fence.

"We don't want human-animal conflicts. So it's important for us that we don't have aggressive animals or curious animals that may pass through cities or approach human settlements."

The final decision about NewQuay Lynx's fate will be made later in the summer after months of close monitoring.

Other reports by Tom Ingham and Tony Joliff