9 Things to Know About the New Cool Cat at Cape May Zoo

Here is one more reason to visit the wonderful Cape May Zoo. The Cape May Zoo has just announced the arrival of Leonardo DiCatprio, or Leo for short, a five-year-old Eurasian lynx.

Leo's Story

Leo was a former pet that was rescued after wandering the streets of Long Island.

Leo has lived at the Holtsville Wildlife and Ecology Center in Brookhaven, Long Island, for the past four years

Since arriving at Cape May Zoo, Leo has been living in the Small Mammals section of the Zoo near the porcupine and bobcats.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome yet another exciting member of our Zoo family,” said Andrew Bulakowski, Vice-Director of the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners.

“The care our animals receive is second to none, and our team is excited to work with Leo. We can’t wait for our residents and visitors to see him.”

 

Things to Know About a Eurasian Lynx

1- The Eurasian lynx is the largest of the lynx species and typically weighs 40 to 77 pounds.

2- They are found in the mountainous areas throughout Europe and Asia.

3- Lynx can be differentiated from bobcats by the solid black tail tip and lack of white on the underside of the tail.

4- Leo could be around for the next two decades. A Eurasian lynx can live up to 24 years in managed care and can survive for up to 17 years in the wild.

5- In the wild, the Eurasian lynx is considered a solitary, crepuscular ambush predator.

6- They thrive in dense European and Siberian forests, using their large paws as snowshoes and relying on prey such as roe deer.

7- They live solitary lives, except for females with children.

8- Their paws are disproportionately large, acting as natural snowshoes that distribute their weight and prevent them from sinking into deep snow.

9- They hold the record for having the longest whiskers of any cat species.

How to See Leo

Leo can be seen daily during Zoo hours, 10 am to 4:30 pm.

Last year, the Cape May County Zoo set an attendance record with 750,000 visitors.

The Zoo is located directly off Exit 11 of the Garden State Parkway.