Yellowknife (Feb 25/04) - Lucky are the people who get to see a wild lynx in the City of Yellowknife, says a regional biologist with Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development.

"It's unusual because they are secretive and cryptic animals, not often seen," Dean Cluff said of the recent sighting of three lynx on Finlayson Drive.

Kimberley Droog and her children Liam, 3, and Kyra, 6, were the lucky family during a lunch hour last week.

"Last Wednesday, my daughter was home for lunch when my son said, 'Mommy, I think I see a fox,'" Droog explained.

Upon looking out the window, the family spotted not only one lynx, but three meandering through their backyard.

"There is a dog in the neighbour's backyard who didn't even bark. They looked quite comfortable wandering about," Droog said.

Cluff said three lynx indicates a family group, likely a mother and two kits.

Asked why such a rare sighting would occur, Cluff surmised there could be an unknown food source in the area.

"They wouldn't really be a threat to people but could be to small pets," he said of the mammal, whose primary source of food is the snowshoe hare.

Droog confirmed the presence of a rabbit in the neighbourhood. Viewing the elusive cat was not a fearful but a "wonderful" experience for the Droogs.

"It was the children's first experience of seeing a lynx. They recognized it from seeing one on television," Droog said.

Nothing to fear

While Cluff said one should not be fearful if a lynx is encountered outside, common sense should prevail.

"Don't interfere or corner it. And it should be wary of humans."

Lynx live in the boreal forest below the treeline in the Northwest Territories.

Nocturnal by nature, their diet consists primarily of the snowshoe hare, ptarmigan or similar food.

Its distinctive pointy ear tufts distinguish it from the bobcat, which is not found in the territories, he said.

Also, its tracks are often mistaken for wolf tracks because of it has retractable claws.