Detecting the presence of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in the Rossland Range

Recreation, Fish and WildlifeThe Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a threatened species protected under the Endangered Species Act. Their habitat exists throughout Canada and the United States of America. Lynx habitat has been impacted by anthropogenic causes, climate change, trapping, and forest fragmentation. Conservation Northwest (CN) is an American organization that works to protect and restore wildlands and wildlife between Washington Coast to British Columbia Rockies. CN created a citizen science wildlife monitoring program specific to the lynx population in Canada and the US. To gather detailed data CN includes volunteers and other countries in wildlife monitoring and citizen science projects. This study focuses on detecting the presence of lynx in the Rossland range to determine if there are transboundary relatedness between the population in Canada and the population in the United States of America. This study took place over 4 months by travelling to three site locations on the Old Cascade Highway. We used wildlife cameras, scent lures, cheek rubs, flashers, and tracking prints in the snow to record species occurrences. Throughout this study no lynx were observed from our cameras or by identifying tracks. Although we did detect the presence of other wildlife such as whitetail deer and snowshoe hare. Wildlife presence was more abundant at higher elevations the further the sites were away from human activity. Wildlife tracks could have been better detected with closer attention paid to snowfall. Tracks are best viewed between 48-72 hours after snowfall which could have ensured that tracks were seen before being filled in with snow. Further research is needed to better understand the lynx populations in Canada. Overall, this project offers data to CN and helps to collect data about the transboundary relationship between the Canada lynx and the population in the United States. Future research could include expanding sites along the Old Cascade Highway with the addition of more sites with more wildlife cameras. This would increase the chances of photographing lynx and other wildlife. This study could also be conducted for a longer period of time with weekly site visits and with more attention to snowfall for best wildlife tracking results