Photographer spots rarely seen lynx
Vernon Buckle of Forteau took photos of the animal near Pond Cove
A creature rarely seen on the Northern Peninsula was captured on camera by a lucky observer who happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Vernon Buckle, a resident of Forteau in the Labrador Straits, spotted a Canada lynx at the intersection of Pond Cove Road and Route 430 on the morning of Sunday, May 27.
He says the animal crossed the road, went down into the ditch and then up on a bank before heading back into the woods.
The large cat was calmly walking, not running, he said.
This gave Buckle plenty of opportunity to get some great shots of the rarely seen animal.
Buckle, who is no stranger to wildlife photography as an avid bird watcher, estimates he had about 60 to 90 seconds to take three photos.
He says, “That’s an eternity in the birding world.”
He later shared the photos on Facebook, garnering plenty of attention with over 100 likes on the post.
It was an exciting experience for Buckle — in all his time tracking wildlife, this was the first Canada lynx he had ever seen.
According to the Department
of Fisheries and Land Resources, Canada lynx are common in Newfoundland and Labrador, but it is nevertheless rare to see one in the wild.
“Canada Lynx are mostly
forest-dwelling, relatively secretive animals that generally avoid people,” the department said in a statement.
“Their presence is not often observed and any sighting may
be considered unique for the individual lucky enough to catch a glimpse. These observations are rarely reported.”