Scientists have used camera traps to witness all sorts of wildlife behaviour, but never have I seen footage of animals bathing their food in water before eating it like humans do, until now.
The bizarre footage was captured by researchers in the Montes de Toledo range in central Spain, who observed two different wild Iberian lynxes (big cats) seemingly bathing their dead prey in water before eating it.
The first instance of the strange behavior was captured in 2020, when a female Iberian lynx, which the researchers named Luna, carried a dead rabbit over to a water trough. At first the researchers thought she was thirsty, but then she began dunking the dead rabbit into the trough.
In total, this behavior was observed in five different lynxes on eight separate occasions over a period of five years between 2020 and 2025. The second sightings came in 2023, when Luna and another female Iberian lynx from a nearby territory were again seen washing dead rabbits in a water trough.
This study marks the first time that wildlife researchers had observed a carnivore species bathing its prey after killing it. Food-washing or soaking behaviors have been documented in some primates, birds, and raccoons, but mostly animals that are captive and among frugivorous – animals that primarily live off fruit – or omnivorous species.
The scientists behind the study, led by Dr José Jiménez of the Spanish National Research Council, believe that the wild cats may be trying to improve hydration or make it easier for their cubs to transition to solid food.
Dr Jiménez and his research team had been monitoring Iberian lynxes with camera traps since 2014 to study the wild cats’ survival rate, population and reproduction.
The species, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, was once on the brink of extinction: In 2002, fewer than 100 remained, and only 27 were breeding females. However, conservation efforts have seen their numbers grow to over 2,400 by 2024.
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