Lodge Worker Uses Pocket Knife to Free Rare Lynx from Leg Trap

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Written by Kevin Aubie of New Brunswick, Canada

About five years ago I was working at a lodge deep in the New Brunswick forest. My boss/friend was away that day and I was alone. Several people came into the lodge asking if I knew how to contact the forest rangers who were not at their office right next door. I told them there was nobody around but me and asked them what the problem was. They told me that just a little ways up the trail on a turnoff was a lynx was caught in a trap and injured.

Lynx are quite rare in New Brunswick and I had never seen one but was extremely concerned, and considering that I’m very anti-trapping, I was also angry.

I asked for more details including how big it was and how dangerous. The four very large men told me it was too dangerous to go near since lynx have huge paws and claws. I didn’t care; I was only 160 lbs but I made the decision right then and there that I was going to help.

How would I save him without being torn apart?

I immediately began to think about how I could rescue this animal without being torn apart. Since I was at a skidoo lodge there were several full leather skidoo suits around. I dressed up in a full leather suit, ski doo boots, leather gloves and a ski doo helmet and told the men “lead me to it.”

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Photo Credit: © Eduard Kyslynskyy | Dreamstime.com

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Sofia N.

10:55AM PDT on Apr 20, 2012

Thank you for your bravery and for saving it's life. Hopefully he was able to recover.

send a green star

ann b.

3:29AM PST on Mar 3, 2012

Hope the lynx survived and thanks for your efforts. I would come and help you keep on removing these traps and we can go to prison together. Course it should be the other way round and people who put out traps should go to prison, if the law had any sense.

Emma D.

3:58AM PST on Jan 20, 2012

props to the author for acting with the courage of her convictions. these traps are unnecessary and cruel in the extreme.

Kim P.

12:09PM PST on Jan 16, 2012

I applaud your bravery and thank you for giving the Lynx the chance to survive... I hope he survived and as far as the springing the traps you find I say good for you. I always like to point out to people that domesticated critters get caught in the traps all the time and because they are so inhumane they should be banned.

Waltraud U.

3:39AM PST on Jan 16, 2012

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SAVINGWORK AND STORY.

Caro M.

2:32AM PST on Jan 5, 2012

These traps are just cruel. Kudos to this hero!

New G.

1:54AM PST on Jan 5, 2012

Thank you for the rescue story.

Nancy L.

7:47AM PST on Jan 4, 2012

Thanks for what you did!!

Katherine H.

2:28PM PST on Jan 2, 2012

Hurray! Thanks so much!

Carolanne P.

9:29AM PST on Jan 1, 2012

I've commented on this post before but would like to say again that these traps should be BANNED!! One of my Moms cats got caught in one but managed to drag himself home & jump through the bedroom window with the damn thing still attached & the cat in absolute agony!! We managed to get it off with great difficulty & then contacted the newspapers who ran a story about traps which are supposed to be illegal in most areas. The cat is called Lynx & has suffered no apparent ill effects, thankfully. He is a happy, loving cat...