In the article that I read it talked about an exotic cat that was found in England and was stuffed, and put in a museum in England. When scientists were able to analyze it they found that it was actually a Canada Lynx, and it was the earliest evidence they had found of an escaped exotic cat in England. The lynx was actually shot in the early 1900's and was donated to a museum where it was thought that it was a Eurasian lynx. Scientists thought that the animal was one of 4 modern lynx species, and using it's color, leg length, and markings, it was determined that it is a Canadian lynx. Lynx's hadn't been found in England since the 9th century, but now there is a record of at least one being there.
Link:
http://www.livescience.com/29008-exotic-cat-prowled-british-countryside.html
NOS Themes:
Science is collaborative - Many scientists analyzed this cat to be able to determine what type of lynx it was.
Science is based on evidence - The scientists used different characteristics of the lynx to be able to see what it really was.
Science is subject to debate - There was a 99.9% chance that the lynx is Canadian, but you could argue that it could be part of the 0.1%, and that its not actually a Canadian lynx.
How interesting! Do the scientists have any hypothesis as to how the cat got there? I think it would be interesting to do more research about where else fossils of this cat have been found, and to research how this cat could have gotten to England.
ReplyDeleteHere is another website on the migration of the Canadian Lynx: http://www.felineconservation.org/feline_species/canada_lynx.htm