Lynx kittens cause havoc at Bristol's Wild Place Project on its first day of opening after lockdown

One of the lynx kittens that caused all the trouble, photographed in July 2020. Credit: Josh Biggs

Part of Bristol's Wild Place Project has had to be closed to visitors after two mischievous kittens climbed up one of the trees and could not - or would not - climb down.

Lox and Kinsey, who were born at Wild Place in June, climbed around 30 feet (9 m) up the ash tree on Sunday 6 December.

One of the girls came down briefly on Monday but then went back up. Keepers are waiting for them both to return to the ground before putting up a fence to stop them clambering up the tree again.

  • Watch the kittens with their mum Loka when they were babies

Courtesy Wild Place Project


Nigel Simpson, Head of Animal Collections at Bristol Zoo and Wild Place Project, said: “It’s perfectly normal behaviour, they love to climb but we would prefer they didn’t go as far up as this.  

“We need to observe them each day more closely to make sure they are eating well and staying in good condition. 

“One of them came down to eat earlier today but we need both of them to come down before we take steps to prevent them climbing up again.”

Bear Wood had to be closed while keepers tried to tempt the lynx kittens out of their hiding place. Credit: ITV West Country

Bear Wood - a seven acre densely forested area - was closed to visitors so keepers could try to tempt the kittens down. It will reopen as soon they are both back on the ground.

Nigel Simpson said the two European lynx, who live in Bear Wood at Wild Place, were not in any danger even when temperatures drop at night.

“They are perfectly okay, they are always outdoors and are native to Europe so our climate suits them.”

The troublesome duo - we're not sure which is Lox and which Kinsey - when they were about five weeks old. Credit: Holly Hill

The kittens, whose parents are five-year-old mum, Loka, and four-year-old dad Zone, were believed to have been the first lynx born in the UK this year.

The rest of Wild Place Project reopened on Sunday 6 December for the first time since the end of the second national lockdown.


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