Triplets have taken their first steps outside

A trio of European lynx kittens have recently had their first public debut at Whipsnade Zoo, after spending their first few weeks inside with their mother, Maja.

The eight-week-old triplets - Amber, Ruby and Opal - are the third litter to be born to mum Maja and dad Timo, and they are a new addition to the European StudBook breeding programme for lynx.

They are already showing the distinctive pointed-ears and spotted markings which will become more prevalent as the kittens get older.

European Lynx live in Russia and Scandinavia, in high altitude forests, and kittens are usually born in the early spring in dens under fallen tree branches, tree roots, or rock piles.

They have characteristic black tufts of hair in the tips of their ears, large padded paws for walking on snow, and short, stumpy tails.

Lynx are most active at dawn and dusk and this can already be seen in the kittens' behaviour, as they are are most playful early in the morning and at the end of the day.

Zookeeper Cliff Tack said “All three kittens are doing fantastically well. Mum kept them well hidden in their den to begin with but they are now growing in confidence and becoming a lot more adventurous, especially with the warm weather encouraging them out to play.”

Image courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo