'Playful' lynx family caught on tape in Riding Mountain National Park

A family of five lynx taking a stroll down a dirt road in Riding Mountain National Park this week is capturing hearts on Facebook, where it has been shared nearly 2,000 times.

The video, caught by Parks Canada employee Roberta Tesar, shows a mother lynx and four kittens ambling down a road just off Highway 19 on Tuesday.

As of Sunday afternoon, it has more than 130,000 views.

Tesar, who lives in the park, said she often sees a solitary lynx or a pair of them, but she's never seen such a large family before.

"[They were] so playful," she said. ""It's a pretty cool sight to see."

Tesar said she was out working in the park in the early afternoon when she spotted the mother and stopped her vehicle to watch.

"Then we noticed two of the kittens, and then a third," she said. A fourth soon made an appearance as well.

Tesar said she was surprised by the interest the video has received on Facebook.

"[It's] more than I anticipated," she said.

"Most people are happy and fortunate to see it even in video form."

That might be all many viewers can hope for.

Tesar said she often sees lynx as a Parks employee, but they're a rare sight for most visitors.