“We noticed parts of the skeleton, namely the spine and skull, in a dry riverbed near the Chon-Mazar gorge. The jaws were full of sharp teeth and looked very much like the jaws of a 'Tyrannosaurus,' but in miniature. What kind of creature is this?” the travelers expressed their curiosity.
“These remains belong to a lynx,” explained the expert.
The lynx is a large, long-legged cat with tufts on its ears and a short tail. Its average body length is about one meter.
As an active predator, the lynx inhabits the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. After a complete ban on hunting this rare seven-river subspecies, which has been listed in the Red Book, its population has significantly increased.
The lynx hunts even in high altitudes, preying on marmots and snowcocks, as well as eating hares, chukars, small rodents, and birds. In some areas, it has displaced the roe deer. The lynx is an example of how difficult it is to assess the status of a particular animal. Despite the fact that this rare species requires protection, as an active predator, it can create problems for hunting management. In our mountains, its population has been quite stable compared to other species listed in the Red Book. Previously, lynxes were rarely caught, and now they are under a complete ban. However, in some regions, the number of these animals needs to be regulated. It is important to note that what may seem like “many” at the local level may turn out to be “few” on a national scale,” noted ecologist Alexander Sosnovsky.
