Exotic cat on the loose in Long Island – Watch the video

Animal rescuers in the Long Island, New York area are urging residents to be on the lookout for a large exotic cat that was spotted wandering the area. The Animal Rescue Association reported that the cat was spotted roaming free this week.

The Strong Island Animal Rescue League did not identify the species of the exotic feline, but another local group, Humane Long Island, said the cat appeared to be a lynx.

Rescuers asked residents to call 911 or local rescue teams while keeping a safe distance from the animal. This magnificent feline, whose image resembles a tiger, is an extremely rare species.

What does the lynx look like and where does it live?

Characteristics

• It weighs 12-35 kg.
• It reaches a height of 65 cm and has a length of 70-130 cm.
• It is almost twice the size of the domestic cat.
• It has a short body, tall legs and large paws, a round head with a short neck, triangular ears with black tufts on top and a short tail with a black tip.
• It is the third largest predator in Europe, after the bear and the wolf.

Biology

• Lives up to 17 years.
• It is a carnivore. The natural prey of the lynx is the deer, the roe deer, the wild goat, the hare, the mountain partridge.
• He lives alone.
• It is a forest species, with a preference for medium and high altitude mountains (800-1,400 m.)
• It delimits its territory.
• It moves mainly at dusk and in the evening and rests during the day, with the exception of the breeding season.
• It mates in February – April and after a pregnancy of 67-74 days it gives birth to 2-3 cubs, which are blind at first.
• The cubs stay with their mother for 10 months.

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