Eurasian lynx photographed for the first time in Sikkim, Representing only 2nd photographic record of species in the eastern Himalayan region
NEW DELHI: In what represents only the second photographic record of Eurasian lynx — a medium-sized wild cat distinguished by its characteristic ear tufts and short tail — in the entire eastern Himalayan region , the species was photographed by a camera trap deployed at 5,250 metres on the Tso Lhamo plateau in Mangan district.
This finding follows the first-ever photographic record of the Eurasian lynx in Arunachal Pradesh in 2025, documented during a joint survey by WWF-India and the environment department of the Arunachal Pradesh govt.
“Following our 2025 record in Arunachal Pradesh, the Sikkim record confirms that the Eurasian lynx has a broader presence in the eastern Himalayas than was previously understood. What we are documenting at Tso Lhamo is not a single-species occurrence; it is a high-altitude ecosystem of exceptional conservation value,” said Rishi Kumar Sharma, head of the Himalayas Programme, WWF-India.
This finding follows the first-ever photographic record of the Eurasian lynx in Arunachal Pradesh in 2025, documented during a joint survey by WWF-India and the environment department of the Arunachal Pradesh govt.
“Following our 2025 record in Arunachal Pradesh, the Sikkim record confirms that the Eurasian lynx has a broader presence in the eastern Himalayas than was previously understood. What we are documenting at Tso Lhamo is not a single-species occurrence; it is a high-altitude ecosystem of exceptional conservation value,” said Rishi Kumar Sharma, head of the Himalayas Programme, WWF-India.
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