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Beardsley Zoo Reveals Names, Gender Of New Canada Lynx Kittens

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — They're grrrls! 

Craig Elkind and his son Wesley hold up the 'It's a Girl' sign outside the Canada lynx exhibit at Beardsley Zoo. Wesley and his brother Spencer named the two new lynx kittens Penny and Ruby.

Craig Elkind and his son Wesley hold up the 'It's a Girl' sign outside the Canada lynx exhibit at Beardsley Zoo. Wesley and his brother Spencer named the two new lynx kittens Penny and Ruby.

Photo Credit: Meredith Guinness
The Beardsley Zoo revealed the gender of its Canada lynx kittens on Thursday.

The Beardsley Zoo revealed the gender of its Canada lynx kittens on Thursday.

Photo Credit: Beardsley Zoo
Dozens of Canada lynx fans crowded around the lynx exhibit at Beardsley Zoo as Zoo Director Gregg Dancho revealed the new kittens' gender.

Dozens of Canada lynx fans crowded around the lynx exhibit at Beardsley Zoo as Zoo Director Gregg Dancho revealed the new kittens' gender.

Photo Credit: Meredith Guinness
The Beardsley Zoo revealed the gender of its Canada lynx kittens on Thursday.

The Beardsley Zoo revealed the gender of its Canada lynx kittens on Thursday.

Photo Credit: Beardsley Zoo
Zoo Director Gregg Dancho revealed the lynx kittens' gender via pink frosting inside a celebration cake Thursday.

Zoo Director Gregg Dancho revealed the lynx kittens' gender via pink frosting inside a celebration cake Thursday.

Photo Credit: Meredith Guinness
A silhouette of the kittens' dad Sasquatch was about all zoo fans could see in the Canada lynx exhibit Thursday.

A silhouette of the kittens' dad Sasquatch was about all zoo fans could see in the Canada lynx exhibit Thursday.

Photo Credit: Meredith Guinness

“Team Girl” fans raised a cheer at the Beardsley Zoo Thursday, as director Gregg Dancho revealed the two ‘mewest’ members of the menagerie — an adorable pair of Canada lynx — are, indeed, of the fairer sex.

The duo made their debut in April, but zoo-goers haven’t seen hide nor hair of them since, as their super-protective mom Selma has kept them under wraps in her nesting box.

And Thursday was no exception with only proud papa Sasquatch visible to the dozens who crowded around the lynx cage for a peek.

“The kittens were actually out yesterday,” said Dancho with a shrug. “Oh well. You just don’t know.”

The gender mystery was solved when Dancho cut into a celebration cake to reveal pink frosting within.

Those who stopped by to check on the youngsters enjoyed cake and cupcakes decorated with photos of the three-pound sisters, courtesy of Alina’s Bakery in Fairfield.

Zoo staffers were careful to allow Mom and Dad privacy with their offspring to make sure they would bond properly. Selma is a first-time mom and they didn’t want human handling to make her neglect the kittens.

In fact, they weren’t even sure if Selma had given birth when she took to her nesting box, not eating for five or six days.

“One day she wouldn’t come out of the nesting box,” Dancho said. “And three or four days later they heard a mew, so we knew we had at least one.”

Brave Animal Care Specialist Bethany Thatcher got Selma to chase her out of the box, giving her time to hold a cell phone over the box and snap a few photos.

“That’s how we knew we had two,” Dancho said.

At seven weeks, the kittens had their first doctor’s visit, complete with their first round of shots.

Brothers Wesley and Spencer Elkind of Greenwich named the kittens after their family’s own cats, Penny and Ruby.

“Penny’s my favorite cat from my house,” said Wesley, 11.

If the lynx had been male, they would have used some of their other housecats’ names, he said.

“We have our own zoo,” joked his dad Craig Elkind, who is on the zoo’s board.

For hours and more information, visit the zoo’s website.

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