Lynx canadensis

Placed in the genus Felis by some authors. Some authors regard L. lynx, L. canadensis, and L. pardinus as conspecific (see Tumlison 1987).

Large range in northern North America; declines have occurred in some populations, but apparently still widespread and relatively abundant in most of historic range, though population data are lacking for many areas; habitat loss/fragmentation and susceptibility to overharvest are the major concerns.

In the contiguous U.S., overall numbers and range are substantially reduced from historical levels. At present, numbers have not recovered from overexploitation by both regulated and unregulated harvest that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. Forest management practices that result in the loss of diverse age structure, fragmentation, roading, urbanization, agriculture, recreational developments, and unnatural fire frequencies have altered suitable habitat in many areas. As a result, many states may have insufficient habitat quality and/or quantity to sustain lynx or their prey. Human access into habitat has increased dramatically over the last few decades contributing to direct and indirect mortality and displacement from suitable habitat. Although legal take is highly restricted, existing regulatory mechanisms may be inadequate to protect small, remnant populations or to conserve habitat. Competition with bobcats and coyotes may be a concern in some areas.

Throughout Alaska and Canada (except arctic islands) south through the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Lakes region, and northern New England. Also northern Eurasia if regarded as conspecific with Lynx lynx (=Felis lynx). See U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1998) for information on distribution and relative abundance in the contiguous U.S. Considered historically resident in 16 states represented by five ecologically distinct regions: Cascade Range (Washington, Oregon), northern Rocky Mountains (northeastern Washington, southeastern Oregon, Idaho, Montana, western Wyoming, northern Utah), southern Rocky Mountains (southeastern Wyoming, Colorado), northern Great Lakes (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan ), and northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts). Resident populations currently exist only in Maine, Montana, Washington, and possibly Minnesota; considered extant but no longer sustaining self-support populations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado; may be extirpated from New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1998). See Stardom (1988 COSEWIC report) for information on distribution and relative abundance in Canada, where still widespread and relatively abundant in most of historic range. See USFWS (2000) for a state-by-state review of historical and current distribution.

Unknown, but numerous--Nearctic (or Holarctic) distribution.

In determining threatened status for the contiguous U.S. distinct population segment, USFWS (2000) cited the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms. "Current U.S. Forest Service Land and Resource Management Plans include programs, practices, and activities within the authority and jurisdiction of federal land management agencies that may threaten lynx or lynx habitat. The lack of protection for lynx in these plans render[s] them inadequate to protect the species" (USFWS 2000). Past extensive logging that eliminated habitat for lynx and snowshoe hare was detrimental. Habitat has been lost due to suppression of forest fires and ecological succession to habitats that no longer support snowshoe hare and lynx. Fragmentation, due to forestry, agriculture, and roads, and the subsequent isolation of suitable habitat is a concern. Lack of immigration from Canadian lynx populations is an important factor in some regions. Past excessive trapping of lynx (as recently as the 1970s and 1980s) depressed populations and may have been detrimental to local lynx populations in Washington (see U.S. Forest Service et al. 1993) and elsewhere (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1998). Road construction causes habitat fragmentation and allows increased human access into lynx habitat; this may increase lynx mortality by facilitating access to hunters and trappers (although there is no legal harvest except for two lynx per year in Montana); incidental harvest of lynx in the course of legal trapping/hunting for other species may be a problem in some areas. Increased winter recreation (snowmobiles, ski area development) may be causing displacement and/or incidental mortality of lynx. Habitat changes and increased access into lynx habitats has resulted in increased competition and displacement of lynx by bobcat and coyote in some areas.