A rescued lynx named Lumi has been recovering in the care of the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre.
Lumi the lynx
Lumi first arrived at Wildlife Haven last August after being found injured following a dog attack that killed her mother.
Soon after Lumi’s arrival, the team discovered a severe eye injury.
“That’s why we named her — we knew she could not survive in the wild,” says executive director at Wildlife Haven, Zoe Nakata.
Lumi’s condition became more serious when she later developed seizures, prompting round-the-clock care.
“I’ve got the best folks caring for these animals. My staff was sleeping at the centre because she was on seizure watch 24 hours a day.”
Fortunately, the team was able to stabilize Lumi’s condition and adjust her medications, making her seizure-free for more than two months.
The big question still remained: why did she develop seizures?
To determine the cause, Lumi was transported to the Ontario Veterinary College of Medicine for an MRI, a procedure not available in Manitoba for large wildlife.
“We found out that the same injury to her eye caused likely something called ‘trauma-induced epilepsy,” she says.
Nakata explains the head trauma and eye injury trigger epilepsy.
“Our goal is to keep her comfortable, seizure-free and spunky. We don’t want her to be sedated her whole life.”
Nakata says she hopes Lumi will eventually move to Assiniboine Park Zoo, where she can serve as an ambassador animal, helping educate the public about lynx and wildlife conservation.
Winter at the facility
Beyond Lumi’s story, Nakata says winter brings fewer animals to the rehabilitation centre, but often cases requiring complex care.
Over the season, they have cared for a number of snowy owls, otters and one pelican.
“We just released one (owl) this weekend and we have another one that’s almost healed from a broken wing,” explains Nakata.
Nakata explains that 93 to 96 per cent of Wildlife Haven cases can be traced back to human activity, from vehicle collisions to unsecured dogs.
She says Wildlife Haven isn’t here to interfere with nature but will step in when humans cause the injury.
“We believe it’s our responsibility to try to remediate where we can.”
“We’re so grateful that we’re able to put a bit of balance back into our ecosystem and protect our biodiversity,” she says.
Supporting Wildlife Haven
To help support animals like Lumi, Wildlife Haven is hosting its sixth annual Art for Wildlife Auction.
The online fundraiser begins Friday, Feb. 13, and features original artwork from local artists inspired by the centre’s animal patients.
More information about the auction can be found on their website.
With files from Corny Rempel