Title

Canada Lynx Recovery

Relevance

{"ops":[{"insert":"The successful recovery of threatened and endangered (T&E) species is a key goal of the Endangered Species Act and for federal and state agencies in charge of species conservation and management. However, basic information on the status, distribution, habitat needs, and response to human disturbance of many T&E species remain poorly characterized, limiting recovery efforts. This is the situation for the Canada Lynx, a federally threatened species that currently exists in small and fragmented populations in the contiguous USA.\n"}]}

Response

{"ops":[{"insert":"Current research is aimed at improving the understanding of lynx populations and their response to human disturbance, and the ability to monitor changes in these populations through time. These results will provide data to support flexible and effective policy decision-making. \n"}]}

Results

{"ops":[{"insert":"The development of camera-based methods to monitor lynx has provided new insights into lynx population status and habitat requirements in Washington and Montana, and contributed to the development of a 20-year collaborative monitoring plan for lynx and other threatened carnivores in the Washington Cascades. The monitoring plan involves over 25 different government agencies, non-government agencies, and tribes. We have also initiated a research project to examine the success of a tribal-led lynx reintroduction efforts in northeastern Washington. This research program has contributed to understanding the impacts of climate change on lynx, and their likely past and projected future distribution, which are needed for robust recovery planning.\nCurrent key findings include: 1) a simple camera-based method is highly effective for monitoring lynx, 2) the camera methodology can be applied at large scales with limited funding, 3) lynx are less likely to use fire impacted forest habitat, lower elevation, warmer areas with less snow, and areas with multiple competitors, 4) lynx abundance in Washington and parts of Montana are low in relation to the rest of the range, 5) lynx habitat that encompasses areas less affected by climate change will be located in the western states at higher elevations, 6) the distribution of lynx has shrunk but some historically populated areas may be repopulated as they represent areas with future resilience to climate change, 7) the long-term success of the ongoing lynx reintroduction effort in northeastern Washington is promising but remains uncertain, and 8) the Loomis State Forest is a hotspot for lynx activity and a collaborative effort with Washington Department of Natural Resources is examining the impacts of forest management activities on lynx prey. The success of lynx monitoring work has led directly to further monitoring projects that will extend multiple years in the future and are being conducted in conjunction with multiple agencies in charge of lynx management, thus setting the stage for evidence-based decision-making. \n"}]}

Public Value Statement

{"ops":[{"insert":"Understanding of challenges to threatened and endangered species supports informed policy decisions that benefit wildlife conservation and human populations.\n"}]}

Primary Focus Area

Environmental Stewardship

Secondary Focus Area

Environmental Stewardship

Impact Statement