MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES:WAS THE EURASIAN LYNX EVER IN HONG KONG?

You never know what surprises you`re going to uncover at about 7 a.m on a humid Thursday morning when most rational people would still be in bed,but I couldn`t sleep,which is fortunate as it turns out as I added yet another bit of data to the already huge mountain that is the would-be `Mystery Animals of Hong Kong` bestseller!

So here we go, is or was the Eurasian Lynx part of Hong Kong`s fauna? After at least 6 months I took a look at the Gwulo Hong Kong History Forum and to my surprise found the following exchange of messages:

January 24^th 2013 Gary Liddell to David (the moderator of the Forum): The fauna of Hong Kong

Is there any truth in the rumour (much passed around when I was a kid) that a Japanese patrol boat shot a tiger swimming across the harbour during the occupation.

I recall  vividly being baled (sic) up by a very grumpy lynx type cat in the Golden Hill Shingmun area (pointy ears bob tailed & spotty coat very large) Can any one throw some light on what the cat was?

Regards Gary Liddell

Someone called `Jill` replied on January 28^th.

There are some good photos of the Eurasian Lynx in this pdf article http://www.catsg.org/catnews/03_specialissue/cats_in_china/Bao_Weidong_2010_Eurasian_lynx_in_China.pdf

Do they look like your bob-tailed cat,Gary?

Gary replied:

Good morning Jill, That`s definetely the fellow. From memory the year was 1961 & I was walking along the Golden Hill road from the direction of Tai Po Road along side the reservoir when he came out of the bush about 20 ft in front of me stopped looked at me & started hissing and spitting. A fine carry on . Needless to say I was quite put off with all the carry on.

Finally he went about his business leaving me in quite a state. I know according to your map [in the pdf link above, showing the Eurasian Lynx`s “official “ range is West and North China,hundreds of miles away.- R] these grumpy critters aren`t supposed to be in Hong Kong but there you have it.

Thank you so much for enlightening me.

Kind regards Gary Liddell.

So I have written to Gary albeit about 6 months late!   

Picture source