The woman had ventured out for a walk near a popular cycle trail when she spotted the creature wandering nearby – but it wasn’t alone as four others were also seen lurking
A woman was gobsmacked after heading out on a walk and spotting an incredibly “rare” creature wandering by with its kittens. She was walking near Maardu, which is just outside Tallinn in Estonia, when she saw a mother lynx with her kittens – despite the animals being known for their shy and solitary natures.
The woman, Maarja Liiv, told Maaleht: “It really was a special moment.” She captured footage of the lynx with four kittens, though only three are visible in the clip as the fourth was hiding in nearby shrubbery.
ERR News reported the rare sighting occurred along a cycling lane near Maardu, a small town just outside of Tallinn. The town boasts a population of around 17,000, with the sighting seen as evidence the lynx population is recovering after a decline seen in previous years.
Zoologist Uudo Timm told the publication: “In suburban sprawl areas this is a completely normal phenomenon, because not only lynxes but also other wild animals move along trails formed over centuries in the landscape and thus often reach new housing estates.”
The zoologist stressed the species isn’t a threat to humans but they are still wild animals so should be given space and respect.
If cornered or threatened, an attack is possible but there are no documented cases of wild lynx attacking humans. It’s believed they’d be more likely to flee from people – but this still shouldn’t be put to the test.
Timm warned the animals shouldn’t be approached, even if it’s just to take a picture or capture a selfie – which the zoologist said is “unfortunately” something “people from urban areas especially tend to want to do”.
ERR also reported on another lynx sighting which took place in a neighbouring county. In the village of Mõisamaa, Väike-Maarja municipality, Lääne-Viru County, local resident Mari-Ann Mustasaar saw an adult lynx sitting on top of a rock near the edge of a forest.
Instead of fleeing or retreating, the animal seemed to be enjoying drinking in the sights.
Mustasaar said: “I’ve never seen such a sight before. The lynx was just sitting there, ‘waiting’ for us. While the quality of the picture is not anything to shout about, the memory will remain with us for a long time.”
The footage was posted online, where people were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “Amazing. So very few around.” Another described the animal as “beautiful”.
Lynx are medium-sized wildcats and, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), they “live closer to you than you might think, in dense forests across the United States, Europe, and Asia.”
There’s “four main subspecies of lynx, one of which is the well-known bobcat”.
The global non-profit, which aims to “help animals and people thrive together”, explained: “Lynx live primarily solitary lives, sticking to their own territory and making dens under fallen trees or in abandoned burrows.”
It added: “As an apex predator, the lynx is an animal that plays an essential role in its ecosystem. They regulate the populations of prey species, including rabbits, rodents, and deer, which protects vegetation from being over-consumed.
“Many European countries, including the UK, have lost their lynx populations and now suffer from overpopulation of species like deer.”
