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Eurasian lynx rehomed after welfare concerns

Harriet Heywood
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
Shepreth Wildlife Park Freddie the lynx prowls along the side of his enclosure, which has a metal fence to separate him from the public. In his enclosure are branches and green plants. His coat is brown and white with dark brown spots and he is looking directly at the camera. Shepreth Wildlife Park
Freddie the lynx has found a new home at Shepreth Wildlife Park

A Eurasian lynx has been rehomed after being removed from an animal sanctuary following major welfare concerns for several endangered big cats.

Freddie was welcomed to his new home at Shepreth Wildlife Park, Cambridgeshire, after the closure of the Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire.

The lynx was one of 28 animals rescued after the prosecution of the trust's owner, Terrence Moore, who was found guilty of animal welfare offences last year.

Rebecca Willers, the director of Shepreth Wildlife Park, said: "This rescue mission shows how wildlife parks and local authorities can work together to give rescued animals like Freddie a second chance."

Shepreth Wildlife Park Three men dressed in green overalls lift a wooden box - which contains Freddie - from a blue van. It is a rainy day and there is a horsebox and trailer behind them. The box has a logo that reads "Nordens Art". You can faintly see Freddie jumping up to see out of a small window at the front of the box, which is fenced in. Shepreth Wildlife Park
Freddie was moved after the closure of his former home, the Cat Survival Trust, in Hertfordshire

Teams at Hertfordshire Zoo and its sister site The Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent, cared for 28 rescued cats after the closure of the Cat Survival Trust.

Moore, the former director of the trust, was found guilty last May of four charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

At St Albans Crown Court he was told to rehome the animals ahead of being banned from keeping them.

The Sun reported he was attacked by one of the cats in November.

Prioritise welfare

On Thursday, a team from Shepreth Wildlife Park travelled to Hertfordshire to collect Freddie and introduce him to his new habitat.

Ms Willers said: "When we were first contacted about this rescue, we knew we had to help if we could.

"It is hard when you have limited resources available, however having cared for lynx previously for nearly two decades we knew we could recreate the perfect environment to meet all of his needs.

"Freddie's welfare at Shepreth will be a priority. He will receive expert veterinary care, a carefully managed diet appropriate for his species and ongoing enrichment to promote his physical and mental wellbeing."

The lynx will be screened to join a breeding programme aimed at conserving the species.

Dean Ward, the co-curator of Shepreth Wildlife Park, said he was excited to welcome lynx back to Shepreth and to be able to educate visitors about the cats which once roamed the UK hundreds of years ago.

"We will be able to work closely with Freddie building up a good relationship through enrichment and training, and I know he will be a firm favourite of the keepers and our visitors to the park," he said.

The Eurasian lynx

Shepreth Wildlife Park Freddie the lynx prowls his enclosure as a man and a woman, dressed in green outfits that indicate they work at Shepreth Wildlife Park, stand outside the enclosure and smile at the camera. The man has grey hair and a beard, and the woman has purple hair tied behind her head. Shepreth Wildlife Park
Shepreth Wildlife Park were pleased to welcome a lynx back into the area
  • Eurasian lynx were once deliberately eradicated from much of Europe and nearly extinct in Central Europe for 200 years
  • They are one of two lynx species found in Europe and have bobbed tails, spotted coats, long legs and muscular bodies
  • The lynx are solitary predators are primarily nocturnal
  • They are apex predators and ensure healthy and balanced populations of prey animals
  • Since the 1970s reintroduction efforts have successfully restored populations in countries such as Switzerland, France and Germany

Source: Shepreth Wildlife Park

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