A Eurasian lynx which holds potential danger to livestock has escaped from a wildlife park in Wales.
The lynx, named Lillith, is said not to pose a danger to humans, but Borth Wild Animal Kingdom in Ceredigion said the public should stay away from the wild cat as police help track her down.
However, the lynx, if strayed further afield, can pose a threat to livestock around the area.
“The lynx is unlikely to approach people, but may attempt to take livestock or pets as food,” Dyfed-Powys Police said.
“It is believed that the lynx remains in fairly close proximity to the Animalarium, but it could potentially go further afield.”
The cat is described as tan and white in colour, with dark spots on her back and legs. She has a distinctive “thick, stubby tail” which is tan at the base and black at the tip.
Borth Wild Animal Kingdom said: “Lynx can travel about 12 miles a day, but the chances are she hasn’t gone far. We will be putting out camera traps around the perimeter of the zoo and relying on sightings by the public. Once we learn her location and follow her trail pattern we can set up monitored traps to catch her.”
Lynx re-introduction
It follows news of the sheep industry preparing for a possible lynx re-introduction in the UK.
Sheep farmers are worried about the possibility of such an act, with the National Sheep Association claiming it will negatively impact sheep farming.
The National Sheep Association has said the lynx carry a disease and welfare risk to livestock.
A verdict on whether lynx should be released in Kielder Forest, Northumberland, is still pending after Lynx UK Trust submitted a formal application to Natural England earlier this year.
The Government advisory body is currently reviewing information, and is expected to announce a decision in the coming months.
