Forest & Environment Department, Sikkim Govt, and WWF-India
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.The photograph of Eurasian lynx was captured in January as part of a long-term snow leopard and rangeland monitoring programme jointly led by the forest and environment department of the Sikkim govt and WWF-India.“It highlights the ecological significance of our high-altitude rangelands and reinforces our commitment to protecting these fragile ecosystems,” said Udai Gurung, chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Sikkim, about the photograph that was retrieved last month.WWF-India noted that though anecdotal reports of the Eurasian lynx circulated in the region for years, the discovery provides the first confirmed photographic evidence of its presence in Sikkim.
