A former National Park Service employee took a rare photograph of two lynx in southwestern Colorado on the weekend of Jan. 20 that has since going viral.

The photograph, which Colorado Parks & Wildlife posted on their Facebook page Thursday, has now received over 500 comments, 3,000 shares and 6,000 "likes" to date.

Spotting two lynx within the Western slopes of Colorado is an extreme rarity, according to Fox31. The Colorado Parks & Wildlife stated that lynx were thought to have disappeared from Colorado around 1973:

"Sightings prior to that time were few, scattered throughout mountainous areas of the state. In 1999 an ambitious program of lynx restoration began in the remote San Juan Mountains, and by 2005 more than 200 animals had been released, a number of litters of kittens had been born, and lynx were expanding throughout the high country and occasionally beyond."

From 2003 to 2010, a minimum of 141 lynx kittens were born in Colorado. Researchers studying their behavior noticed that the cats' rate of reproduction was outpacing mortality since the re-introduction study was initiated.

In a 2010 Department of Natural Resources press release, Colorado Division of Wildlife director Tom Remington stated that the lynx project was one of the most "ambitious and significant" state-run re-introductions in years.

The lynx is a fairly large, black-tipped tailed cat. They usually weigh between 20-30 lbs and have a grayish coat with spots. Due to its similar attributes, the lynx is commonly mistaken for its more popular relative - the bobcat. The lynx is considerably shorter though, with a longer hind foot (in excess of 8 inches).

The animal originates from North America and Eurasia, and is usually found is dense forests near mountain streams. The lynx breed in the late winter. Following a gestation period of nine weeks, the females usually give birth to a litter of about 4 kittens in either April or May.

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