Skiers and snowboarders at Lake Louise got an unexpected wildlife encounter this weekend when a lynx was spotted calmly roaming the slopes with her two kittens.
One visitor, @carlymarkss, shared the moment the animal appeared on the hill on their TikTok. While keeping a respectable distance, @carlymarkss captured the lynx stepping out of the trees onto the ski run, followed closely by her two playful kittens, who run to catch up. The video was captioned “Lake Louise casually reminding you who owns the mountain.”
@carlymarkss Yes this actually happened at Lake Louise. A lynx + 2 babies crossed right in front of me 😭❄️ think I used up all my lifetime luck today. #lakelouise #skitok #wildlifeencounters #fyp #snowboardtiktok ♬ original sound – carlymarks
The video has quickly drawn attention, and as of writing, it has amassed over 19,000 likes and 200,000 views. Many people were amazed by the glimpse of the elusive cats in their natural habitat.
Viewers quickly flooded the comments, sharing their excitement over the rare sighting, “Oh wow, no way, that’s beautiful,” someone said. “Wow! Such an honour to see,” another added.
This isnt the first time lynx have been spotted in Lake Louise recently. Just a few weeks ago, a Reddit user had a similar experience after running into a lynx and a kitten while hitting the slopes.
Lake Louise- lynx and her baby on our run!!!!!
byu/pimentocheeze_ inskiing
Once again, people were in awe over the sighting, noting how elusive the cats typically are. “This is literally the coolest thing ever. People work their whole careers in park service and don’t get a sighting this close,” someone commented. “This is an extremely special sight. Awesome,” another replied.
People were also mentioning just how adorable the baby was, “Look at the absolute stompers on that little dude,” one user said. “They love to be pet and fed. Especially the little one,” another joked.
According to Banff and Lake Louise Tourism, if you come across wildlife in the provincial park, you should maintain a safe distance and never feed them, and keep in mind that it is illegal to touch, feed, or approach wild animals. On the ski hills, you should report any sightings of wildlife.