Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Lynx spotted at Olympic sliding centre

Updated at 6:40 pm on 9 February 2010

Winter Olympics officials have spent the past few days having to deal with protesters and a lack of snow, and now a wild animal has been spotted on the loose at the Whistler Sliding Centre

The animal was seen by lugists as they trained at the venue's track and the intruder was eventually identified as a lynx, which is native to North America.

A local conservation officer was called to the track after the sighting, but it was decided there was no security threat and no need to stop the training session.

The Whistler Sliding Centre is no stranger to the small animal, which has been spotted prowling the perimeter of the track in the past.

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