Our Lynx Kittens are Starting to Explore

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo welcomed three lynx kittens on May 8, 2013. Now they are six weeks old, their eyes are open (a beautiful bright blue!), and they are starting to explore their indoor den and off-exhibit outdoor space. Lucky for our guests, their off-exhibit outdoor habitat can be viewed from the grizzly bear tower bridge. To catch a glimpse of the kittens, stop where the grizzly bridge starts to bend and look down on your left-hand side (towards the city). There you will see the lynx building and the outside space where mother, Migina (mah-jee’-nah), is raising her three wee ones.

Magina is an excellent mother. She keeps a very close watch on her kittens and anyone who approaches her den. Recently, animal keepers were able to take a brief video of the kittens playing in their off-exhibit space. At six weeks old, they are still very small and aren't large enough to enjoy the freedom provided in the large lynx exhibit. However, you can see the kittens’ father, Kajika (kah-jee’-kah) there. When the kittens are ready for the larger habitat, we will make an announcement. For now, keep reading our blog for updates about them.

"Like mother, like daughter" or "like father, like son"? Our porcupette is a….

“It’s a boy,” Kristen Cox, Rocky Mountain Wild Animal Keeper said. “To be honest, it’s still very hard to tell because he is still very young, but we are 85% sure that it’s a boy.”

Nale (nah’-lay) and Elan, our porcupines in Rocky Mountain Wild, became first-time parents on May 8, 2013. Their porcupette, or baby porcupine, was born weighing a little over a pound, and veterinary staff said to be patient about finding out the gender.  At one month old, their prickly addition has doubled in weight, and everyone is becoming more confident in calling the baby a boy.

Animal keepers add that he is taking after his dad.

“Elan loves to eat, and so does our new addition,” Kristen said. “He will continue to nurse from Nale for four months, but he is also eating solid foods. He eats carrots, leaves, twigs and yams. Out of everything he’s been offered, his favorite food is kale.”

Just like his dad and mom, the porcupette is becoming an expert climber.

“At the beginning of the week, we found him high up in a tree resting in Elan’s usual (and favorite) spot,” Kristen said. “Every day he gets more and more adventurous.”

Nale is an attentive but laid-back mom. She lets her baby explore where he wants to. She checks on him often and nurses him when he’s hungry, but he’s independent and curious – similar to how porcupines are in the wild.

“Porcupines are born with their quills,” Kristen said.  “They have a built-in defense system, so their mom doesn't have to worry about them too much.”

Animal keepers have started to hint at a name for our porcupette – once a decision is made, we will announce it! To meet our family of porcupines, visit Rocky Mountain Wild. If you don’t see the littlest one right away, make sure you look up, down and all around for our precocious porcupine.