A lynx was recently spotted on surveillance cameras set up in Romania's Fagaras mountains. Considered the largest cat in Europe, the lynx is a discreet animal that avoids contact with humans.

"The life that teems in the forests of the Fagaras mountains certainly beats the movies! The lynx is an extremely shy animal, but look how graceful it is," representatives of the Conservation Carpathia Foundation said in a social media post. 

They also argued that a national park must be set up in the Fagaras mountains to protect the lynx and other animals.

The lynx is a nocturnal animal that lives secluded. It has a slender body, can measure up to 75 cm in height and weigh up to 30 kilograms. Its fur is yellow-brown, and most have red or black spots on their back, sides, and legs. Its hearing and sight are its most developed senses. It occupies a territory of roughly 120 kilometres and sometimes does not pass through the same area for weeks.

The Eurasian lynx is not a threatened species, as it has a stable presence in Russia, Scandinavia, and eastern Europe. However, its existence in the forests of western Europe is fragile, according to National Geographic.

The Conservation Carpathia Foundation (FCC) was founded in 2009 by 12 philanthropists and conservationists with the aim of stopping illegal deforestation as well as conserving a large area of Carpathian forests as a completely protected zone for future generations. This is achieved through the purchase of land and the transfer of hunting rights, for the complete protection of all natural elements, with private and public funding.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: screenshot from Conservation Carpathia's video on Facebook)