Latest news with #DinaGebhardt
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rare predator set to make history after international journey: 'I had a few tears in my eyes'
A British-born lynx is on the precipice of making history hundreds of miles away from its original home at the Newquay Zoo. The BBC reported on the unusual saga of the female lynx, whom conservationists hope can survive and thrive in Germany's Black Forest. Last year, there was a shortage of female lynx births in Central Europe, according to Dina Gebhardt, the lynx-breeding coordinator for the European Endangered Species Programme. Thus, Gebhardt made the unorthodox request to the Cornwall zoo to see if it would send over a one-year-old female. "Of course, we said yes straight away; that's something that we'd love to do," the zoo's curator of plants and animals, John Meek, told the BBC. The lynx was transported via truck to its new temporary home, a 1,200-square-meter (3,937-square-foot) enclosure. The animal wandered out carefully into its new surroundings, which prompted an emotional response from Meek. "I'm a big boy, but I had a few tears in my eyes," he said. If all goes well, the lynx will be able to regain its fear of humans and show off hunting and survival skills over the next few months. From there, it would be reintroduced to the wild, making it the first United Kingdom zoo-born cat to achieve that feat. It would represent another conservation win for the lynx in Europe that would join a resurgence in the animal in Iberia. Sightings of North American lynxes have amazed onlookers and heartened conservationists. No matter where they are spotted, a key concern for conservationists is that interaction with humans is minimized and they are given proper room to roam. Lynx play an important role as a predator in the Central European ecosystem by controlling the deer population and preserving forests, according to lynx reintroduction chief Eva Klebelsberg. "Our ecosystems in Europe are missing large predators," Klebelsberg explained to the BBC. Do you think we still have a lot to learn from ancient cultures? Definitely Only on certain topics I'm not sure No — not really Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. This female lynx could help play a small but important role in fulfilling a need. The team in charge of the animal has little concern about its ability to hunt. The real challenge figures to be the lynx's familiarity with keepers who feed it, and zoo visitors who ogle it. No matter how it goes, Meek will be watching from the UK. "Nowadays, zoos are not here to keep animals in cages," he said. "They're there for conservation." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
New York Post
03-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
This lynx could become the first UK zoo-born cat to be successfully released into the wild
A lynx in England could become the first UK zoo-born cat to be successfully released into the wild. The nine-month-old Eurasian lynx, who was born in the Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, has been moved to southwestern Germany's Black Forest, which is an unusual move for animals born and raised in zoos. However, the request for its transfer was made due to a shortage of female lynxes in the European breeding program. Dina Gebhardt, the lynx-breeding coordinator for the European Endangered Species Program, was the one behind the demand. 'Basically I'm Tinder for the zoo-born lynx,' she told the BBC. A lynx born in the Newquay Zoo has been moved to southwestern Germany's Black Forest. Newquay Zoo/Facebook 'Our nature is very fragmented, due to railways and streets and cities. And this means we created a lot of barriers for the lynx, which leads to inbreeding.' The animal will spend several months in an enclosure being monitored to see if it can withstand the new conditions. John Meek, curator of plants and animals at the Newquay Zoo, was there to oversee the transition. 'I'm a big boy but I had a few tears in my eyes,' Meek told the outlet. 'Nowadays, zoos are not here to keep animals in cages. They're there for conservation. And this is it, conservation in action.' Eurasian lynx, which can weigh up to over 65 pounds, were native to the UK, but were wiped out in the wild around 1300 years ago because of hunting and habitat loss.
BBC News
07-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
UK's first zoo-bred lynx selected for release into the wild
A lynx kitten born in Cornwall has become the UK's first zoo-bred cat to be selected as a potential candidate to be released into the Zoo's Carpathian lynx kitten, born on 29 May 2024, has been chosen by Europe's Linking Lynx rewilding conservation initiative aims to maintain a healthy population of reintroduced cats in Europe's mountain ranges, from the Carpathian Mountains to the Meek, curator of plants and animals at Newquay Zoo, said: "Her selection as a potential candidate for this programme validates our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of animal care and wildlife conservation." The lynx will have to pass examinations and be relocated to a rewilding facility in Germany, where she will spend time in a semi-wild environment. The transitional period allows the cat to develop the skills necessary for survival in the she does well during this preparation period, she will be released into the wild. Dina Gebhardt is an expert on Eurasian lynxes for the European Endangered Species Programmes (EEP).She said: "Now that the Carpathian lynx EEP is part of several in situ projects in Europe, the demand for offspring – especially females – has risen considerably. "The goal is not only to keep the ex situ population genetically diverse and healthy, but also to provide individuals to introduce into the wild. "For that, we need professional scientific led zoos that follow the Linking Lynx protocols conscientiously."The Wild Planet Trust which runs the zoo said collaborations demonstrated how local conservation centres could play a crucial role in international wildlife preservation Kathy Baker, trust research officer said: "We are a charity, and every person who visits our zoos is directly contributing towards programmes like this that could help restore wildlife populations around the world. "Our organisational mission is to help halt species decline, and this is a fantastic example of the work we are doing to enable us to achieve this goal."
