Kiah Knoles

April 10, 2015

Wildlife 316

Term Paper: Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis)

Introduction
Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a carnivorous feline that is native to
North America. Lynx are found mainly in Canada and Alaska as well as
several states that border Canada. This species is closely related to the
bobcat (Lynx rufus) although the Canada lynx has a larger body and typically
smaller litter sizes than bobcats (Homyack 2008). Lynx typically weigh
between 18 and 24 pounds and can be up to 41 inches in length (Feline
Conservation Federation 2015). Additionally, the average shoulder height of
the lynx is approximately 21 inches (Feline Conservation Federation 2015).
Generally speaking, males are slightly larger than females but there is a lot
of variation in body size.
Canada lynx have an interesting morphology feature that allow it to
live in regions that have harsh weather conditions. Lynx have abnormally
large paws which distributes their body weight similar to how snowshoes
work and allows the animal to travel through deep snow during the winter

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months (Homyack 2008). This morphology is critical for hunting in boreal

forests.
The lynx is a specialist predator and its diet consists mainly of
snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) but it will also consume birds, squirrels
and other rodents when the opportunity presents itself or when food is
limited (Nature Works 2015). Predator features such as retractable claws,
binocular vision, and excellent hearing aid the lynx in the detection and
capture of prey. Lynx have a thick coat that exhibits cryptic coloration which
allows this animal to blend into its habitat. During the summer, lynx tend to
have more brown and reddish hair to match surrounding vegetation. In
contrast, the winter color morph of lynxes is mostly white and light gray so it
doesnt stand out in the snow (Homyack 2008).
Ecologically, the lynx is an important predator because it keeps prey
populations in check. The predator-prey relationship between lynx and
snowshoe hares is very complex and has not been thoroughly studied so it is
unclear what would happen if lynx were removed from boreal systems. It is
possible that snowshoe hare populations would explode after lynx removal
and then crash almost immediately after because of food limitations. A
similar pattern was demonstrated in the Isle Royale ecosystem when
predator populations declined and prey populations grew rapidly and shortly
after decreased because forage limitations and a parasite outbreak (Vucetich
2012).

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Economic importance of lynx is high due to its prominence in the fur

trading industry which still continues today. Lynx exported in the 1980s
averaged around 35,000 total pelts between the United States and Canada
(Nowell 2008). In the follow years, harvests declined and then rose again in
the year 2000 (Nowell 2008). Since then, the market has fluctuated with the
population cycles of snowshoe hares.
The Canada lynx is currently listed as threatened in the United States
under the Endangered Species Act (Maletzke et al. 2008). Listing the species
was a long process but after many petitions, the lynx was finally listed in the
year 2000 due to a lack of guidance for conservation (Nordstrom et al.
2005). Contrasting to this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature
Red List has the Canada lynx classified as a species of least concern because
it has a high estimated abundance in its range in Canada (Nowell 2008).
Regardless of the varying classification between regions, lynx populations
have been declining due to a variety of threats such as climate change, fire
suppression, timber harvest, and habitat loss.

Population Ecology
As the global climate continues to change, many species that are
adapted to cold weather demonstrate population declines. Lynx populations

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are no different. While exact population sizes are unknown, there is evidence
that numbers have been diminishing for years.
One thing that has been attributed to the decline of lynx populations
involves shrinking prey habitat and prey populations. Lynx rely on hares for
approximately 75% of their diet and are greatly impacted when prey
populations are low (Nature Works 2015). Snowshoe hares in northern
regions have cyclic populations that occur roughly every 10 years which
results in mirrored patterns from Canada lynx populations with a short time
lag (Krebs et al. 2014). The reasoning behind the population cycles is
unclear but it is expected to be caused by food limitations, habitat
conditions, and climate patterns (Yan et al. 2013).
Another potential cause for lynx population trends may be current
forest management techniques, mainly timber harvest and fire suppression.
It is acknowledged that existing forest management practices have
destroyed lynx and hare habitat but there have not been many studies
performed to assess the population effects of these practices.
Lynx are largely dispersed across Canada and Alaska (see Figure 1).
Historically, this species used to extend much further into other regions in
the U.S. but their population numbers rapidly declined as a result of hunting
and trapping. Presently, there are small populations in the lower 48 states
such as Idaho, Washington, Montana and northeastern states (Nowell 2008).

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The small populations in the southern parts of

their range likely exist because individuals of
source populations from Canada travel to the
U.S. by using corridors (Squires et al. 2013).
This connectivity between populations is
necessary to preserve to ensure the viability of
lynx populations in the lower 48.

Figure 1: Estimated current

distribution of Canada lynx.
http://www.felidaefund.org/

Human Relationships
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has
categorized the Canada lynx as a species of least concern because it is
prevalent throughout most of Canada and Alaska (Nowell 2008). Additionally,
it can be legally hunted and sold without apparent impact on overall
populations and harvest limits are reasonably lax in some areas (Nowell
2008).
Contrasting to the categorization by the IUCN Red List, the Canada lynx
is listed as a threatened species under the ESA (Maletzke et al. 2008). In
Idaho, the lynx is documented as being a species of greatest concern
because of low estimated population sizes (CWCS 2010).
Management of a species is difficult because animals do not stay
within man-made boarders and different regions have varying regulations.

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Maletzke (2008) suggests that in order to promote lynx populations, it is

necessary to manage habitats that are important for hares (Maletzke et al.
2008). By boosting prey populations by means of habitat restoration and
protection of existing habitats, it is expected that lynx populations will begin
to rise as well.
The Interagency Lynx Biology Team (2013) stated that at this time
there is no recovery plan for the Canada lynx (Interagency Lynx Biology Team
2013). This is an issue because preservation actions are not being executed
to aid this species. If the United States lynx populations are in fact being
supplemented by lynx from Canada, the corridors need to be maintained to
ensure the flow of individuals between metapopulations. With the loss of
connectivity, small populations are at risk of extinction which would further
narrow the ranges of the lynx compared to historical dispersal.

Future Research Needs

As with all species of concern, there needs to be more work on the
Canada lynx populations and management. The lynx is a rare species in the
United States and has intrinsic value which is largely unappreciated because
it has been severely reduced from its historical range.
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Research should be conducted to learn about the abundance of the

lynx because there are few, if any, studies that have real population data. In
Idaho accurate population sizes are unknown but it is estimated that there
are less than 100 total individuals (CWCS 2010). This could mean that the
Canada lynx could be extirpated from Idaho due to accidental trapping,
illegal harvest, or by other means and it would likely go unnoticed for years
since lynx observation (scat, track, viewing, etc.) is already rare.
Row (2014) brings attention to the absence of information linking
genetics and climate change (Row et al. 2014). There is genetic variation
between populations that live in different areas and it is hypothesized that
the differences are attributed to a climate gradient (Row et al. 2014).
Another potential cause for this is related to connectivity of populations and
site-specific adaptations. Continued research is necessary to answer these
questions.
There are also many anthropogenic threats to lynx populations that
should receive some attention from wildlife biologists. One example of this is
the effects of timber harvest. Several scientific papers briefly mentioned that
this is a threat but there have not been studies performed to understand if
this is an issue. This seems like it would be a problem because it correlates
to habitat loss and a decline in crucial prey habitat. Along with timber
harvest, fire suppression practices should be evaluated for negative
influences on lynx and hare populations. Both of these practices are extreme

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manipulations of forest ecosystems that already have their own maintenance

systems. Interference leads to a decrease in overall biodiversity.

Conclusion
The Canada lynx is a North American mammal that is dispersed across
boreal forests and montane regions. Depending on location, the lynx is
documented as being a species of least concern, a threatened species or a
species of greatest concern (Maletzke et al. 2008, Nowell 2008, CWCS 2010).
Managing lynx populations has proven to be a daunting task, mainly for its
lack of abundance information and socio-political issues. Despite this,
anthropogenic threats need to be addressed, especially in the United States.
It is likely that the extreme forest management practices harm lynx
populations and should be scientifically evaluated along with other various
threats to promote the long-term viability of the Canada lynx.

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Literature Cited
Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS). 2010. Canada lynx.
Idaho Fish and Game.
Interagency Lynx Biology Team. 2013. Canada lynx conservation assessment
and strategy. 3rd edition. USDA Forest Service, USDI Fish and Wildlife
Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, and USDI National Park
Service. Forest Service Publication R1-13-19, Missoula, MT., USA. 128
pp.
Feline Conservation Federation. 2015. Canada lynx.
<http://felineconservation.org/feline_species/canada_lynx.htm>.
Accessed 8 Apr 2015.
Homyack, J., J. Vashon, C. Libby, E. Lindquist, S. Loch, D. McAlpine, K. Pilgrim,
and M. Schwartz. 2008. Canada Lynx-bobcat (L. canadensis L. rufus)
Hybrids at the Southern Periphery of Lynx range in Maine, Minnesota
and New Brunswick. The American Midland Naturalist 159:504-508.
Krebs, C. J., R. Boonstra, S. Boutin, A. E. Sinclair, J. M. Smith, B. S. Gilbert, K.
Martin, M. ODonoghue, and R. Turkinton. 2014. Trophic Dynamics of
the Boreal Forests of the Kluane Region. The Arctic Institute of North
America 50: 1-9.
Maletzke, B. T., G. M. Koehler, R. B. Wielgus, K. B. Aubry, and M. A. Evans.
2008. Habitat conditions associated with lynx hunting behavior during
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winter in northern Washington. The Journal of Wildlife Management

72:1473-1478.
Nature Works. 2015. Canada Lynx - Lynx canadensis.
<http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/lynx.htm>. Accessed 6 Apr 2015.
Nordstrom, L., A. Hecht, M. McCollough, B. Naney, J. Trick, N. Warren, and M.
Zwartjes. 2005. Recovery outline contiguous United States distinct
population segment of the Canada lynx. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Nowell, K. 2008. Lynx canadensis (American Lynx, Canada Lynx).
Iucnredlist.org. <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12518/0>. Accessed
6 Apr 2015.
Row, J. R., Wilson, P. J., Gomez, C., Koen, E. L., Bowman, J., Thornton, D. and
D. L. Murray. 2014. The subtle role of climate change on population
genetic structure in Canada lynx. Global Change Biology 20:2076
2086.
Squires, J., N. DeCesare, L. Olson, J. Kolbe, M. Hebblewhite, and S. Parks.
2013. Combining resource selection and movement behavior to predict
corridors for Canada lynx at their southern range periphery. Biological
Conservation 157:187-195.
Vucetich, John A. "About The Project: Overview." The Wolves and Moose of
Isle Royale. 2012.

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<http://www.isleroyalewolf.org/overview/overview/at_a_glance.html>.
Accessed 8 Apr 2015.
Yan, C., N. Stenseth, C. Krebs, and Z. Zhang. 2013. Linking climate change to
population cycles of hares and lynx. Global Change Biology 19: 32633271.

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