Big cats are solitary and sightings by humans are rare. But when the majestic creatures happen to cross paths, they let it be known in a big way.
Videos by InspireMore
Last month, Ed Trist, his 11-year-old daughter, and his girlfriend were on an ATV, cruising along a logging road near Avery Lake in southern Ontario. They stopped dead in their tracks, however, when they encountered this amazing sight:
Facebook
They had to have heard this little tête-à -tête well before they encountered these Canadian lynxes, because, boy are they loud!
If two of these predators come to blows, they generally both walk away with at least a few injuries, and that doesn’t bode well for their survival. That’s why they spend most of their epic stand-off trying to intimidate each other into backing down.
Facebook
Aside from their chill-inducing, deep-throated growls and moans, the most actual action they muster is this headbutt and swipe. But you could cut the tension in the air with a knife, it’s so thick!
Giphy
Ed says he’s witnessed lynxes fighting before, “but I’ve never heard that intensity and that back-and-forth.â€
Facebook
The lynxes were still in the middle of the stand-off when they drove off about 10 minutes later, so no one knows whether either was able to claim victory.
And what the scuffle was all about? Well, we can only speculate…
Imgur
Chris Enright, who heads the veterinary services department at a Winnipeg zoo, says it could’ve been a territorial dispute, or maybe they were two males competing for a female. Or, less likely, it was just a bizarre (and very vocal) mating ritual.
This is a little late in the season, but animals don’t always read the textbook of when they’re supposed to do things, so it certainly wouldn’t have been impossible for one of those two lynx to have been a female that was torn between wanting to interact or not wanting to, if you will.
It’d be nice to get a definitive answer on that one, but either way, this is a truly amazing and rare glimpse into the lives of these majestic cats. It’s also pretty amusing if you ask us!
Check out the screaming match in the video below, and share to spread this awesome sight with others.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
