The Service determined in 1997 that the lynx warranted protection under the Endangered Species Act, and that a number of factors threatened the animals existence in the lower 48 states; however, the agency postponed a listing proposal then because other species were determined to be in greater need of protection under the Services listing priority system. The settlement is being sought to avert additional court costs and protracted staff time.
Historically, the Canada lynx was a resident of 16 states in the contiguous United States: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The range continued north into Canada and Alaska. Lynx infrequently dispersed into six other states--North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia--but were not considered resident in those states. The animals in these six states appear to have been transients dispersing during periods of high lynx population density elsewhere.
Lynx are believed to remain in small populations in only three of the 16 states in which they historically inhabited -- Montana, Washington and Maine. Lynx are considered extremely rare or extirpated in the remaining states.
Publication of a rule in the Federal Register proposing listing of the lynx will include a public comment period, and public hearings will be held throughout the current range of the contiguous U.S. lynx populations. The dates, times and locations of the hearings will be announced through local media and in subsequent editions of the Federal Register.
In the eastern states, lynx live in areas that are transitional between boreal/coniferous and northern deciduous forests. In the west, they live in subalpine/coniferous forests. Mature forests with downed logs and windfalls provide cover for denning, escape and protection from severe weather. The same areas provide habitat for the lynxs primary prey, the snowshoe hare, and other small mammals and birds that supplement the lynx diet. The home range of a lynx can extend from 5 to 94 miles and the animals are capable of covering the long distances in search of food.
The Canada lynx has large well-furred paws that aid in hunting in deep snow, long tufts on the ears and a flared facial ruff, and a short, black-tipped tail. Males average 22 pounds and about 34 inches in length and female lynx are slightly smaller.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
