For one thing, Energie Steiermark became the sponsor of the young big cat—and the choice of animal was obvious. After all, the Latin spelling “LUX” translates to “light” in German.

On the other hand, Luchs George’s companion turned 3 years old and was especially pampered by the animal caretakers on her special day. An extra portion of meat, creatively wrapped and decorated with dandelions, was hidden in the enclosure. Elsa sniffed at the package—she likely detected the scent of the contents—but then let George have the “first go” at unwrapping it. With wise foresight, the enclosure manager had prepared two pieces of meat.

Born at the Lohberg Wildlife Park in Bavaria, the female lynx with her striking tufted ears has been living in Herberstein since August 2017. Upon her arrival, she was introduced to George the lynx, and—much to the delight of the zoological department—it was love at first sight. Will they have offspring one day? We’ll have to wait and see.