Dartmoor Zoo appeals for £5k to buy special cameras to help capture escaped lynx
Hunt continues to catch missing big cat still on the run
DARTMOOR Zoo is appealing for £5,000 to buy more special cameras to help track its escaped lynx after fears it has increased its territory.
So far two-year-old Flaviu has evaded humane traps baited with food and the familiar smell of his bedding and that of his mother Klementyna but he has also avoided being recorded on any footage.
The placement of the motion sensor cameras was based on physical clues left by the fugitive cat such as paw prints, fur left on gates and fences as well as trails and flattened rings in tall grass where he has laid down to sleep or eat.
It was hoped that by now he would have been comfortable with a territory and would have developed a “fairly predictable routine” with favoured areas for resting, keeping guard and hunting.
Reports from local farmers of unusual behaviour by livestock such as cattle who have been corralling their young and making distress calls to their calves confirmed what was thought to be the right area.
One farmer who asked not to be named said: “I’ve been out there all hours of the day and night working and my cattle seem somewhat agitated.
“My dog has been spooked in a couple of places too.”
Head keeper George Hyde said: “Flaviu’s ability to avoid the cameras suggests he has still yet to decide on his boundaries which mean he’s a lot more mobile and his territory is larger than we thought.
“This really stretches our resources but is not all bad news because it also gives us good reason to believe he hasn’t left the area which is a real danger.”
Now there is a desperate need for more camera traps which can monitor trails or locations which are thought to be frequented by Flaviu and the zoo is asking for donations of such equipment or funds to buy them.
Mr Hyde added: “It will give us the opportunity to track Flaviu and make sure he’s safe whilst keeping any human activity in the area to an absolute minimum.
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“Hopefully the presence of camera traps will deter uninvited visitors too because people tend to think twice before getting themselves caught on one doing something they know they shouldn’t.
“They come in a variety of technical specifications offering different levels of functionality on stills, video, motion sensitivity, programming, thermal or infrared and we’ve already been promised some.
“According to the task at hand we’ve identified two models which offer good functionality in the £120 to £150 range.
“Given the size of the area we will need at least 30 units to add to the cameras already deployed.
“These cameras are an essential conservation tool which means once the job is done with Flaviu they will have a full and useful life tracking wildlife on conservation projects both here and abroad.
“Once again, the support we've received so far during this challenging time has been overwhelming.
“Any help you are able to give with this important new project is greatly appreciated by the entire team. “
Mr Hyde also explained about the new, larger human traps.
He said: “They are spacious and sturdy with a large entrance.
“They employ a bait-trigger and are designed to ensure Flaviu will be well away from the door when he triggers it.
“Inside he’ll be comfortable with lots of bedding and a nice meal to keep him busy until the recovery team come to collect.”
Police are investigating a number of forays into the secure area by those without authority and have warned they could use criminal charges such as aggravated trespass against anyone caught or identified.