If You're Going to Kill an Endangered Lynx, Don't Take It to the Taxidermist

lynx canadian endangered photo
Photo via digitalART2

Just a quick tip. But then again, if you're going to kill an endangered animal, please do take it to the taxidermist so that you can be caught and properly sentenced for being a dolt, as this man was who killed an endangered Canadian Lynx and wanted to make a trophy of it.

According to Bangor Daily News (via Ecoworldly), a Vermont man is to spend 7 days in jail after a taxidermist tipped off authorities that he'd brought in an endangered Canadian Lynx to be stuffed.

The man said he thought he was shooting at a coyote - because coyotes look soooooo much like lynx:

coyote lynx comparison photo
(Coyote vis JustinJohnson; Lynx via

The U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk states: “We have the Endangered Species Act to protect, restore and save these types of animals. I do think this defendant deserves jail time. Just a fine would be a meaningless punishment.” However, he got off with just 7 days of jail time instead of the possible six months in jail and a fine of up to $25,000. He's the third man in less than three years to be convicted of killing an endangered lynx, and so even a week of jail time doesn't exactly seem like it's setting a harsh example for other hunters.

To end on a happier note, we want to point you back at a post up a few weeks ago, that shows you just why we prefer these animals alive, rather than dead. Because they're friggin' cute!

lynx kittens photo
Photo credit: Colorado Division of Wildlife