Newquay's lynx kittens emerge from nest for the first time

A litter of Carpathian lynx kittens has emerged from their nest for the first time.

Born at the end of May at Newquay Zoo, the kittens have only just ventured outside.

Onyx, the male lynx, is a first-time parent, while Kicsi, the female, has had her fifth litter. She now has offspring in collections across Europe.

John Meek, Curator of Plants and Animals at Newquay Zoo, commented, "Kicsi is a fantastic mother, and is taking excellent care of the kittens. We can't wait for our visitors to meet them as they are truly adorable bundles of fluff at the moment."

Carpathian Lynx (lynx lynx carpathicus) are a subspecies of Eurasian lynx found in the Carpathian mountain regions of Europe.

Although classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, they face several threats in the wild, including habitat loss and poaching.

The lynx at Newquay Zoo are part of an important EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) conservation breeding program.

This program aims to boost the numbers of Carpathian lynx in conservation-focused zoos across Europe, with the potential for future wild releases.