BY JAN VAN HOESEN

rystal is the name of our newest addition to our family. She is a Canadian lynx and was born in May of 1998. Some of you remembered an article I wrote about Klaus, my bobcat, and have asked me about making the statement that I'd never get another. That is true, but this is a lynx. I still don't need another bobcat.

I began thinking about getting a lynx a couple of years ago. My reference production partner, Scott Neslund, and I take photos of all my animals, plus some others, and sell them to taxidermists through Mike Noonkester Taxidermy Supply and WASCO. We needed lynx reference, so I began looking into the possibility of owning a lynx. In Michigan, where I live, lynxes are an endangered species. At one time, Michigan had them in every county, but today we may not have any. Permits to own one of these cats are difficult, if not impossible, to get. Always ready to meet a challenge, I asked the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) how I could obtain a permit. I explained that I had raised almost every wild animal in Michigan at one time or other, that I have a teaching degree in biology, and have given wildlife educational talks to countless numbers of groups. I wanted this lynx for business purposes for photo reference and to study a lynx for its attitude and movement. I wanted to be able to sculpture forms which were more true to life. The DNR told me I needed a sponsor.

A sponsor was not all that difficult for me to obtain. I had been working for one of our state parks, Hartwick Pines, doing some taxidermy and they agreed to be my sponsor. I got my permit and I felt honored and also felt a great responsibility.

The next step was to find a lynx breeder since there are none in Michigan. It was important to me that I find a reputable breeder where I would have confidence that I was buying a healthy kitten. A friend searching the Internet found just such a breeder in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. I ordered a kitten and sat back and waited for its birth.

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