Visitors to Stone Zoo will notice some new faces – three Canada lynx kittens made their exhibit debut today.

The kittens, one male named Fred and two females named Casey and Carla, are all from the same litter and were born on May 19. For the past seven weeks the kittens have been staying in the nest box with their mother.

Zoo New England participates in the Canada Lynx Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is a cooperative, inter-zoo program coordinated nationally through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). SSPs are designed to maintain genetically diverse and demographically stable captive populations of species. The births were the result of a recommended breeding between Patty and her mate Hutch.

In the wild, Canada lynx can be found in Alaska and Canada. They have been reported in the northern plains and Great Lakes states as well as in states including Wyoming, Oregon, Utah, Colorado and Maine. While they primarily live in dense forests, they may also be found in rocky areas and the tundra, primarily in Canada. Their numbers substantially decrease in the more populous southeastern region.

Well-equipped for snow, Canada lynx have large, thickly furred paws that act as snow shoes, allowing them to easily walk in deep snow. Lynx have long, thick yellowish brown fur that may be patterned with dark spots. This tall cat has especially long hind legs, which give it the appearance of being titled forward. Their ears are tipped with black tufts of hair and there is usually a flaring ruff of fur around their necks. Solitary and nocturnal, lynx use their keen eyesight to stalk prey. While they can climb trees, they prefer to stay on the ground.

At Stone Zoo, the lynx kittens can now be seen in Yukon Creek which is also home to black bears, arctic foxes, North American porcupines and reindeer. Stone Zoo has exhibited Canada lynx since 2000.

Learn more about the Canada lynx in our Stone Zoo Animals section.