An invaluable, thorough review of lynx status and needs and threats facing its survival.

CLICK HERE for a thorough analysis of the proposed rule: Predator Conservation Alliance's (then called, "Predator Project") 23-page comments submitted in September 1998.

CLICK HERE to link to the rule in its entirety (GPO web site).

Some specific excerpts that may be of use:

"There are no regulatory mechanisms that address the management or conservation of functional Canada lynx habitat." (37004)

Habitat Destruction and Fragmentation

"The most influential factor affecting lynx habitat is human alteration of the distribution and abundance, species composition, successional stages, and connectivity of forests, and the resulting changes in the forests' capacity to sustain lynx populations. Additionally, forest fragmentation isolates habitat into relatively small patches, thereby reducing the viability of wildlife that are dependent on larger areas of forest habitat." (37001)

"In all regions of the contiguous United States lynx range, clearing of forests for urbanization, recreational developments such as ski areas, and agriculture has fragmented, degraded, or reduced the available suitable lynx habitat, reduced the prey base, and increased human disturbance and the likelihood of accidental trapping, shooting, or highway mortality." (37001)

Mortality

"Human induced mortality is the most important mortality factor for Canada lynx populations." (37003)

Roaded Access and Recreation

"Elevated levels of human access into forests are a significant threat to Canada lynx..." (37005)

"The increased snowmobile use and the increased area in which snowmobiles are used likely diminishes habitat quality for lynx, and also decreases the lynx's competive advantage [over other predators, like coyotes and bobcats] in deep snow." (37006)

Population Status/Fragmentation

Overall

"Extirpation of the contiguous United States population of the Canada lynx would result in a significant gap in the range of the taxon. Canada lynx would not only be lost throughout a broad region of the United States, but a number of ecosystems would lose a top-level carnivore from their representative fauna." (37007)

N. Rockies

"After 1985, lynx populations in Montana were believed to be at or near their lowest levels in the past several decades" (36999)

"In 1990, Hash reported stable or declining small lynx populations in Idaho." (36999)

"Two lynx have been trapped and collared in the Wyoming Range and continue to be tracked. In addition, one lynx was confirmed in the Wind River Range in 1997." (36999)

S. Rockies

"Unsuitable habitat in Wyoming's Red Desert isolates the lynx population in Colorado and extreme southeastern Wyoming from that of the Rocky Mountains to the northwest" (36998)

Pacific NW

Lynx numbers in Washington State are reduced to an estimated 96 to 191 individuals, scattered between five largely isolated areas along the Canada border. As far as immigration from Canada, which has sustained these populations in the past, the Service found:

"Recolonization of suitable lynx habitat within the State of Washington eventually may be precluded by the fragmentation of habitat and potential isolation from the lynx population in Canada" (37003)

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