Another trail camera, this time in Viljandi County, captured a fascinating meeting between a lynx and a beaver, which ended happily enough for the latter, Maaleht reported.
The footage was filmed Tuesday in the Kolga-Jaani hunting area, and starts off with the lynx eyeing up the beaver as it enters the water.
The video, from a trail camera operated by Heiki Raadik and shared by the Estonian hunters society (Eesti Jahimeeste Selts), can be seen below and clearly shows the lynx remaining on the shoreline as it watches the beaver make off, though the predator is clearly keen and keeps a laser-like eye on the submerged, departing rodent.
Like many felines, lynxes can swim perfectly well, but often choose not to – not out of preciousness but mainly because waterlogged fur can make hunting and moving around stealthily in general more difficult.
The animal goes as far as a paddle but not beyond; in any case the beaver is naturally an even better swimmer – indeed fleeing via a watercourse is one of its main innate defense mechanisms in any case.
Another factor might be that beaver is not usually on the menu with lynxes in any case. However, the lynx population in Estonia is now running quite high, having been scarce in the past, making competition for food more intense.
When out and about in the forest and countryside, look out for dammed-up water – indicated for instance by trees apparently growing bayou-like out of the water. A loud splash and movement out of the corner of the eye may very well be the animal itself.
The species found in Estonia is the Northern lynx, while the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) extant here is a separate species from its North American cousin.
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