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A rescued Manitoba lynx has received a new diagnosis following a trip to Ontario.
Lumi the lynx was found near Swan River at the end of August, surrounded by dogs and with an injured eye. Rescuers believe her mom was injured or killed.
Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre in Ile des Chênes, about 20 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg, took the feline into its care.
They determined permanent damage to her eye meant she could not be released back into the wild.
Things took a turn for the worse in October, when Lumi started having severe seizures, Wildlife Haven executive director Zoe Nakata said.
“She had certainly won our hearts by that time,” Nakata said, but the seizures were dangerous to her health and survival.
Staff medicated Lumi to control the seizures as much as possible, but they didn’t know what was causing them. They decided she needed an MRI and a full neurology assessment.
“To do something like that on a lynx is quite unique. It doesn’t happen every day — in fact, can’t even happen here in Manitoba,” Nakata said.
Lumi was flown to Guelph, Ont., with Nakata and another Wildlife Haven staff member at the end of January. With help from the National Wildlife Centre and the Ontario Veterinary College, Lumi had an MRI, a neurology assessment and blood work.
While it’s not unusual for the Wildlife Haven to work with organizations outside the province, sending an animal out of province for a specialized test was a first, Nakata said.
The tests indicated Lumi’s seizures are likely a result of trauma-induced epilepsy. It’s believed she suffered a brain injury when her eye was hurt.
“It’s something that the team of experts have seen with other mammals. It’s seen in dogs,” Nakata said. “It’s not going to get worse, so that’s a good thing.”
Lumi needs to be on medication for the rest of her life to control the seizures, but knowing the cause means the team can provide better care for the lynx, Nakata said.
Lynx can live up to 14 years in the wild or up to 26 years in captivity.
Sherri Cox, the director of the National Wildlife Centre and a veterinarian involved in Lumi’s tests, said it was special to host the lynx.
Her team has never had a lynx on site, Cox said; there are more bobcats in southern Ontario.
Lynx and bobcats are closely related felines, but lynx are larger, have longer tufts of fur on their ears and are found further north.
“We don’t get to see these species, obviously, all the time,” Cox said through video chat. “It’s a real treat to be able to see them.”
Cox called Lumi a “great patient” who was laid back. A diagnosis is crucial for her care, Cox said.
With the MRI, the neurology teams can put the whole picture together and make sure Lumi doesn’t have a brain tumour or a brain abscess, Cox said.
“They can then say what they think is going on with her, and that really dictates our treatment.”
The trip cost around $10,000, with funding provided by a few “generous donors,” Nakata said.
Costs for care add up quickly, she said, with the daily cost of care for each animal averaging around $50 a day.
At times, the rehabilitation centre can have 300 animals at once. Currently, there are about 50 animals in the facility, which is a typical number for winter.
“It feels like such a privilege that we get to be part of the story of giving these animals a second chance,” Nakata said. “I don’t know many folks that can say that they’ve travelled with a lynx.”
Lumi has now settled back into her enclosure. Staff rearranged the space and added more perches for extra enrichment. Lumi loves to climb and jump, Nakata said.
As soon as they knew Lumi could not return to the wild, it was determined she would eventually be moved to the Assiniboine Park Zoo, Nakata said. The development of her seizures delayed that move, but it’s still planned to be her permanent home.
“We’ve just got a few things left to do to make sure that her care plan is stable, that she’s stable,” Nakata said.
“She’s been wonderful. She’s very stable and looks like a very stress-free and happy lynx.”
Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre sent Lumi, rescued from dogs as a kitten, to Guelph, Ont., after she started having seizures. Tests indicate Lumi, who they plan to transition to Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, likely has trauma-induced epilepsy.
