Commonly Asked Questions About The Canada Lynx General What is a Canada lynx? The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), the only lynx in North America, is a rare forest-dwelling cat of northern latitudes. Lynx feed primarily on snowshoe hares but also will eat small mammals and birds. Its range extends from Alaska, throughout much of Canada, to the boreal forests in the northeastern United States, the Great Lakes, the Rocky Mountains, and the Cascade Mountains. The Lynx is a medium-sized cat, similar to the bobcat, but appears somewhat larger. It has longer hind legs and very large well- furred paws, which make it highly adapted to hunting snowshoe hares in the deep snow typical throughout its range. It also has long tufts on the ears and a short, black-tipped tail. Adult males average 22 pounds in weight and 33.5 inches in length with an average weight for females at 19 pounds and 32 inches in length. adult female lynx and survival of young Range And Status What kind of habitats do lynx require? to nearly cease. In the eastern and Great Lakes States, What is the size of the lynx population? lynx live in southern boreal forests that Why are lynx so rare in the contiguous Because the lynx is such a rare animal are considered mixed deciduous- United States? and there are no reliable population coniferous forests. In the western In the contiguous United States, lynx estimates for any region, the size of the States they live in spruce/fir forests at populations occur at naturally low total population in the contiguous higher elevations. Downed logs and densities; the rarity of lynx at the United States is unknown. windfalls provide cover for denning southern portion of the range compared sites, escape, and protection from to more northern populations in Canada What is the range of the lynx in the severe weather. Earlier successional is normal. The rarity of lynx is based contiguous United States? forest stages provide habitat for the largely on limited availability of its The range of the lynx in the contiguous lynx’s primary prey, the snowshoe hare. primary prey, snowshoe hare. At United States includes 14 States— The size of lynx home ranges vary and southern latitudes, low snowshoe hare Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New have been documented between 3 to 300 densities are likely a result of the York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, square miles. Lynx are capable of naturally patchy, transitional boreal Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, moving extremely long distances in habitat. Such habitat prevents hare Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. Lynx search of food or to establish new home populations from achieving high infrequently dispersed into Nevada, ranges. Lynx populations rise and fall densities similar to those in the North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, following the cyclic highs and lows of extensive northern boreal forest. Lynx Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia. snowshoe hare populations. When hare in the contiguous United States are populations are low, the change in the part of a larger metapopulation whose With available information, it is lynx’s diet causes the productivity of core is located in central Canada. difficult for us to determine whether resident lynx populations existed Michigan—(Listed as Endangered in however, although two lynx have been historically or currently in many States 1974, again in 1987.) Information is recently collared in Wyoming, available within the contiguous United States. inadequate to determine whether a evidence is inadequate for us to clearly We have conclusive evidence that resident population existed historically determine whether a resident resident populations of lynx currently or currently. population currently exists. exist in Montana, Washington, and likely Maine. We suspect resident Washington—(Listed as Threatened in Colorado—(Listed as Endangered in populations occurred historically in 1993.) Lynx occupy five of the six areas 1975.) Historically a resident Minnesota, Wyoming, and New considered to be lynx management population existed, likely now Hampshire, but current information is zones by the State of Washington. We extirpated. Reintroduction effort inadequate to determine whether these conclude a resident lynx population initiated in 1999. States currently support resident exists in Washington. populations of lynx. It is likely the native resident lynx population in Oregon—(Unregulated.) Information is Management Colorado has been extirpated. We have inadequate to determine whether a inadequate information to determine resident population existed historically Considerations whether resident lynx populations or currently. occurred historically or currently What is the ownership or management within New York, Vermont, Michigan, Idaho—(Furbearer with no open of lynx habitat in the contiguous United Wisconsin, Idaho, Utah, and Oregon. season.) Although numerous historic States? reports, information is inadequate to A substantial amount of lynx habitat is What is the status of lynx in individual determine whether a resident on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of States? (What is the official State population existed historically or Land Management lands—(Cascades status of the lynx?) currently. [99 percent], Northern Rockies [72 Maine—(Lynx are listed as a species of percent], Southern Rockies [82 special concern.) In 1999, nine lynx Montana—(Classified as a Furbearer percent], Great Lakes [19 percent], and were radio-collared and kittens found. with closed season.) We conclude a Northeast [7 percent]). The majority of We conclude a resident lynx population resident lynx population exists in lynx habitat in the Great Lakes and likely exists in Maine. Montana. Northeast is under private, State, or county management. New Hampshire—(Listed as Utah—(Sensitive.) Information is Endangered in 1980.) Numerous inadequate to determine whether a In the west, lynx habitat on large historic records but information is resident population existed historically proportions of these Federal lands is inadequate to determine whether a or currently. managed in “nondevelopmental” status. resident population currently exists. Lands within nondevelopmental Wyoming—(Protected as nongame with allocations are managed to allow Vermont—(Listed as Endangered in no open season since 1973.) We suspect natural ecological processes to 1972.) Information is inadequate to a resident population existed dominate. Nondevelopmental lands determine whether a resident historically in northwestern Wyoming; contain large portions of wilderness or population existed historically, now believed to be extirpated. New York—(Protected small game with no open season.) Information is inadequate to determine whether a resident population existed historically, now believed to be extirpated. A reintroduction effort during 1987-1989 apparently failed to establish a breeding population. Minnesota—(Protected game animal with no open season since 1984.) We suspect a resident population existed historically but information is inadequate to determine whether a resident population currently exists. Wisconsin—(Species of concern, taking prohibited.) Information is inadequate to determine whether a resident population existed historically or currently. other natural areas. Timber harvest and impacts but does not currently threaten numbers appear to have increased. road building typically do not occur or the contiguous United States lynx Lynx co-evolved with mountain lions are very limited in lands managed in population. and bobcats and, in most areas, have nondevelopmental allocations. The coexisted with coyotes for many percent of western lynx habitat in What effect has the increased human decades. We found no evidence that nondevelopmental allocations is— access into lynx habitat had on lynx? competition with species such as Cascades, 85 percent; Northern Human activities, such as winter coyotes, mountain lions, or bobcats is Rockies, 41 percent; and Southern maintenance of roads and trails, negatively affecting lynx at a Rockies, 23 percent. snowmobiling and skiing create packed population-level scale. snow trails that allow coyotes to access Has a change in fire management traditional lynx winter habitat. Are lynx affected by roads? affected the lynx? However, we have no evidence that Lynx movements may be negatively Based on available information on fire competition with coyotes, or other influenced by high traffic volumes on suppression and upon available habitat potential competitors such as bobcats or roads that bisect suitable lynx habitat. assessments, we conclude that at the mountain lions, is negatively affecting We suspect that highways with high present time, fire suppression effects lynx populations. traffic volumes and associated suburban are less significant in lynx habitats than developments inhibit movements in many other forest types in the west How has trapping affected the lynx within home ranges and dispersal and and, therefore, the effects of fire population? may contribute to loss of habitat suppression are not threatening One of the primary reasons we connectivity. Otherwise, however, roads western lynx populations at this time. proposed to list lynx, based on available do not appear to be a significant direct Fire did not play a historically information at the time, was our cause of lynx mortality. We found no significant role in the Northeast; conclusion that the low numbers of lynx information demonstrating that forest therefore, we conclude that fire in the contiguous United States were roads negatively impact resident