Video shows rare Canada lynx sighting in northern Minnesotan's backyard
Stunning new video shows a Canada lynx prowling around off northern Minnesota's Gunflint Trail.
Sarah Hamilton, owner of Grand Marais' Trail Center Lodge, says the rare wild cat was roving around her snow-covered deck on Sunday afternoon, seemingly unconcerned with her dog's barking.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, there have been fewer than 100 verified sightings of Canada lynx in the state in the past 20-plus years.
The cat is known to venture into Minnesota when snowshoe hare, its main prey, are hard to find, the DNR says. It's also found in Maine and mountainous parts of the northwestern U.S.
Canada lynx are as big as bobcats, weighing up to 44 lbs and measuring about 3 feet in length. Its large feet are perfect for traversing deep snow.
The cat has been a protected animal in Minnesota since 1984, and was classified as a federally-threatened species in 2000.
The DNR recently began to enforce a federal order to limit the type and placement of traps, or snares, used in parts of the state where Canada lynx are known to venture.
Anyone who spots a Canada lynx in Minnesota is asked to contact the DNR.
