Lumi the lynx finds new home at Assiniboine Park Zoo

An orphaned and disabled lynx has found a new home at Assiniboine Park Zoo.

Premier Wab Kinew was on hand Wednesday morning to welcome Lumi the lynx and announce a $650,000 grant for the wildlife rehabilitation centre that rescued it.

Lumi was helped by the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre as a baby last year after its mother was killed in a dog attack. Lumi entered its public enclosure at the zoo for the first time Wednesday after receiving medical treatment at its health centre since March.

“What a beautiful animal,” said Kinew, as he and a zoo official let the wildcat out from a crate into the public habitat.

The premier said the lynx’s story hits home for him.

“My clan is the lynx, so that’s my traditional family… My clan animal is Lumi here, so seeing my relative in a new happy home is very, very positive,” he said.

“I think Manitobans love wildlife, love animals so much, we’re all very happy to see such great organizations taking care of our friends and relatives.”

Lumi has a seizure disorder, requiring medication, and a small, abnormal left eye.

Staff at the wildlife centre, located in Ile des Chênes, determined the female lynx couldn’t be released to the wild due to its medical issues and asked the zoo if it had a home for the wildcat.

Veterinarians at the zoo took Lumi into their care and quarantined the lynx as they assessed its health needs, then performed a minor surgery to reposition the animal’s left eyelid in April.

Lumi’s left eye has a condition called entropion which caused its eyelashes to rub against its eye. The surgery was successful and appeared to improve the lynx’s comfort.

The wildcat has not had any seizures since the zoo took it into its care.

The Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre takes in and cares for injured animals before typically releasing them back into the wild.

It intends to use the provincial cash to repair its main building and raptor enclosures, upgrade safety, modernize its contact centre and build two new enclosures for outdoor aquatic mammals and waterfowl.

Kinew also pointed to $5 million in provincial government funding for the zoo, which was announced in this year’s budget, that will be used for a new animal health centre.

“Manitobans… love to help our animal friends,” he said.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca