An animal rarely seen in Michigan has been released in the wild in the Upper Peninsula.
A Canada lynx was captured weeks ago in Sanilac County in the Lower Peninsula. After spending time at the Howell Nature Center and the Detroit Zoo, the female was released last week in a wooded area in Schoolcraft County.
John DePue, a biologist at the Department of Natural Resources, says the release "went perfectly." The lynx is listed as a threatened species under federal law.
The cat is believed to be less than a year old. It was 18 pounds when found but added a pound while eating rabbits and quail at the zoo.
The DNR says the last verified sighting of a lynx was in 2010 on Sugar Island near Sault Ste. Marie.
