Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) by Daniel Tomer

Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) by Daniel Tomer

Description and Ecology

Keith Williams captures a beautiful picture of a lynx 40 km south of Whitehorse, Yukon 

The Canada Lynx are medium-sized cats weighing around 18-23 pounds. Their 75-90 cm bodies are equipped with long, thick fur for the freezing climate, yet have short tails to avoid getting caught in elements of their environment. They also have wide, hairy paws that act as snow-shoes allowing them to walk easily in deep snow. They are highly adapted to hunting their snowshoe hare (their primary prey) in large forested boreal landscapes, and use their extra long hind legs to aid attacks on their target. Lynx breed in later winter-early spring, and gestation lasts around 9-10 weeks. The average litter size is 3-4 kittens and the mothers continue to care for the young for the remainder of the mating season or longer.

https://ipmworld.umn.edu/sites/ipmworld.umn.edu/files/styles/panopoly_image_original/public/radcliffe_figure_1.gif?itok=VZdbMN-c

Geographic and Population Changes

These cats are contiguous to the United States and Canada, and maintain very large home ranges that can be almost 216 square kilometers (average home range only 20 km). Home ranges vary based on different implications including population density, sex, age, or prey density, but generally, the males have larger ranges. They are highly dependent on the snowshoe hare as their survivorship, productivity, and population dynamics are closely related to snowshoe density in all parts of its widely distributed range (35-97% of their diet). During snow-free months, both northern and southern populations must rely on alternative prey like red squirrels, rodents, bird, or even fish regardless of hare density. Due to their large exploratory movements outside of their home range, connectivity with larger lynx populations in Canada is detrimental to ensuring the long-term persistence of lynx populations in the United States (metapopulation). The historical and current range is within the southern extensions of the boreal forest in the Northeast, Great Lakes, Rocky Mountains, and Cascade Mountains. Six core areas can be identified within the 14 states that support this boreal forest environment.

Lynx Range Map: Sechrest, 2002

Listing Status: Threatened

Listing Date: March 24, 2000

Cause of Listing/Main Threats 

Lynx populations occur at low densities, therefore factors like over-trapping, disease, and predation are not known to be threatening at a population level. However, the primary cause of listing within ranges in the contiguous U.S. include timber harvest, recreation, and related activities which allow for the continued degradation of lynx and snowshoe hare habitat. When Hare populations are low, interspecific competition from other predators like coyotes can also impede lynx populations through direct mortality or competition. Continued warming temperatures are also likely to cause boreal forests to recede north to colder elevations which would result in unfavorable effects for the population of lynx.  The last main threat would be high traffic volume which disconnects the essential landscape connectivity between lynx habitats in Canada and the U.S.

http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/styles/homepage-feature-2015/public/canada-lynx_alanna-schmidt.png?itok=-oUtwGvC

Recovery Plan

The recovery plan for the Canada Lynx has 4 main objectives. The first is to maintain adequate habitat of sufficient quality that can support the long-term persistence of lynx population within all 6 core areas. Second is to ensure that this habitat can accommodate the persistent emigration and immigration between the core areas and adjacent populations in Canada. The third objective focuses on maintaining lynx habitat in secondary areas. The last objective is to address all threats so that lynx populations will persist in the contiguous U.S. for at least the next 100 years. These objectives can be addressed through human conducted analyses, surveys, management techniques, and monitoring plans pertaining to the lynx. Without these methods to assess population size or trends, it is impossible to develop specific demographic criteria for delisting the species.

What Can You Do?

1. Symbolically adopt a lynx! This saves real live lynx in the wild.

2. Send a message to government leaders advocating for wildlife rehabilitation and protection!

3. Stay informed and inform others of these dangers.

4. Reduce your ecological footprint to prevent climate change as much as possible as lynx are reliant on the winter conditions that create the habitat they are highly adapted to.

http://www.zoonewengland.org/media/405625/lynxgallery6.jpg

Other Resources:

Visit these sites to learn more about the Canada Lynx!

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12518/0

https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/50636

http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AMAJH03010

http://www.defenders.org/canada-lynx/basic-facts

Fun Facts:

• Lynx are nocturnal!

• In Native American tradition, the lynx is considered to be a problem-solver and the keeper of secrets

• The word lynx comes from the Greek term "leyssein" and translates "to see."

Works Cited:

All information was sourced from the Canada Lynx Recovery Plan

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2005.Recovery Outline for the Contiguous United States Distinct Population Segment of Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

http://boredomtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/14-canadian-lynx-paws-cute.jpg

THANK YOU FOR READING