Cameras used to monitor wildlife in Spain have recorded Iberian lynxes soaking dead rabbits before eating them. Over five years, researchers observed several female lynxes carrying rabbits to water troughs, which are containers that hold water for animals. The cats repeatedly put the rabbits under the water. This is the first time scientists have documented such behaviour in a wild cat.
Researchers are not sure why the lynxes do this. One possible explanation is that soaking their food helps them get more water during hot summers. Another is that it makes the rabbits softer for their cubs, or young cats, to eat. However, these remain possible explanations rather than certain answers. The behaviour could also have another purpose that scientists do not yet understand.
The discovery comes from long-term monitoring of the Iberian lynx. This species once came close to disappearing entirely, but it has made a remarkable recovery. As researchers continue to observe these cats, they are finding behaviour that they have not seen before.
