After making headlines, a Canada Lynx will soon be leaving Livingston County.

The lynx, which was brought to the Howell Nature Center on Monday by the Department of Natural Resources, will soon be on its way to the Detroit Zoo. The animal was trapped in Harbor Beach on Sunday, near where a lynx was spotted on video in February. The Canada Lynx is classified as a threatened species in Michigan with only rare sightings occurring in the last 40 years, primarily in the Upper Peninsula.

Howell Nature Center officials say while the cat is doing well, their goal is to offer the best possible outcome for animals brought to the center’s Wildlife Clinic. Because it was determined that additional resources were needed to include a full physical and behavioral assessment, the lynx will be transferred to the Detroit Zoological Society later this week. It is not yet clear if the lynx is a released/escaped illegal pet or is in fact, truly wild.

After the evaluation, a determination by the DNR will be made if it can be released back to the wild. According to a DNR representative, this is the first live lynx captured in the state in more than 40 years. (JK)