Here are two lynxes in Ontario, Canada, screaming at each other like irate humans. Please make sure to play this with the sound on.
I realize that every fiber of your body is telling you "this can't be real." It feels so wrong. It is against all that we know of the natural world. It flies in the face of every experience with the animal kingdom you've ever had. Every dog you've pet is now erased; every ant you've watched climb through the grass is gone; every bird you've seen fly overhead is fading into darkness. All that remains are two screaming lynxes on the side of the road.
This video of the two wildcats exchanging outrageous-sounding screams will make you question everything. If you are religious, you may be questioning God's design. If you're not religious, you might start thinking there must be some divine hand at work.
And yes, it's real. Biologist and lynx expert Kim Poole of Aurora Wildlife Research said he's heard them make this noise before. "The timing is a bit odd, as they are adults (you can tell by the thick tufts of hair on the top of their ears) and in late May it is birthing time, not breeding, which generally occurs in late March," he told BuzzFeed News. "It is difficult to tell sex but they could be adult males that are having a territorial 'discussion.'"
The true meaning of their, erm, conversation, however, remains a mystery. Carole Baskin, founder of Big Cat Rescue, said, "I think it could be the beginning of a mating ritual, because despite the cursing they are also head butting, which is a friendly greeting," she suggested. "It could also be a nearly grown kitten of the mom saying, 'Remember when we used to go hunting together?' And she's telling him there's no free lunch anymore."
So either angry, territorial males, horny would-be lovers, or an overbearing mother. Auuguuuuughghgghuhgughguhgh.