OBSERVATION:
I spotted an adult male lynx in the morning of April 15, 2016 wandering the streets of a Kamloops, BC suburb. Several other residents spotted the lynx and were able to gather some photos in the evening and during the day. No one reported that the lynx harmed them, or any pets or animals. The lynx was reported to Conservation Officers who state that it is very rare to see a lynx within city limits. The Conservation Officers wonder if the lynx had been hunting for ducks in the suburb before falling asleep and then leaving the suburb in the day light when he was spotted. The lynx appeared to be a healthy male and was not tranquilized or relocated by Conservation Officers. It is believed that the lynx returned back to it's regular habitat after it was spotted by myself and other Kamloops residents. The lynx has not been spotted back in city limits since he was first spotted (as of April 22, 2016).
Although the wild population of lynx in Canada is not at risk, this observation could be a signal that their habitats are being threatened in the Kamloops and Thompson region of British Columbia.
Links to local news articles on the observation:
Conservation officers track wild cat
Lynx spotted in Kamloops
More Information on Lynx from the following Link :
The Canada lynx has very thick, light brown or gray coat. It has large ears with long black tufts at the ends similar to those of the bobcat. The lynx has a short black tipped tail, long legs, large paws (which help it to hunt hares over deep snow), and a ruff of fur around the neck. The lynx's range extends over most of Canada and Alaska and south into the US. Lynx are typically elusive, secretive, mostly nocturnal mammals although they may be active at any time of day. Their habitat is usually dense forest and they tend to hunt in areas with snow cover or at higher altitudes. Lynx usually stay with 100 yards of tree lines, attributing to their need for seclusion. By nature, lynx are very territorial and solitary requiring very large home ranges.
Roughly 75% of their diet consists of snowshoe hares, and historically, a lynx population will rise and decline in the same way that the hare population does. They also eat rodents, birds and even larger animals like deer on occasion. Lynx are solitary hunters, great climbers and have been known to scale trees to pursue prey. Females average two to four spotted kittens per litter. Young are fully weaned at three months and will eat meat as early as one month. Kittens stay with their mother for the first year and siblings may stay together for a time after that.
Consults Contacted by Observer:
1. Francis Iredale, Wildlife Biologist, Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Response Received: Generally speaking, adult lynx dispersal is most likely driven by food availability. Most reports of dispersing individuals occur mid-winter to spring when stress is more likely. These guys are specialists and are tied to hare populations which tend to fluctuate. Although the amplitude of this fluctuation is less within the southern portions of the province. However, this observation is perplexing, as the rate of harvest and replanting of trees has led to pretty healthy hare populations, unless disease has caused a decline (disease sometimes regulates high density populations)- which we have not heard of. I think the most plausible explanation is that bottom food resources are adequate (hare) and the lynx population is stable consisting of resident and transient individuals. Residents (mostly adults) occupy distinct home ranges or territories which are maintained by scent marking. As with all cats there are territorial, so this adult could have been displaced by another adult and is looking for another area to establish a territory. Lynx have been known to disperse across hostile environments, so it may have felt comfortable enough to come through town at night and just get caught out during the day.
- Jen Reynolds, Biologist, Vancouver BC
A couple of thoughts and questions came to mind that I would want to explore further before I would assume that the sighting is a sign of a threatened habitat:
- It is nearing supposed lynx mating season- could the cats be roaming further searching for mates? Is there typically an increase in lynx sightings this time of year in other areas where they are found?
- Have there been any new developments put up, or some construction started that could have disrupted a route they might usually use? With the proximity of the sighting to the whole Peterson Creek nature park it certainly seems like the lynx would have emerged from that area but it would be hard to know why.
- Have there been any notable changes in the population of their usually prey items that might drive them to seek food further afield and more in the open than they normally do?
- Were the sightings juveniles? With cougars, it is more commonly juveniles that seem to get into trouble around the edges of towns.
- Where are the existing wildlife corridors and have they been evaluated with respect to their use by lynx?
