Tribes halfway to lynx relocation goal

Seven Canada lynx were recently trapped in Canada and relocated to the Colville Indian Reservation (CIR) in an effort to help recover the species in Washington state.

A team of biologists, technicians, trappers, vets and other volunteers set up traps east of Kelowna, British Columbia in the beginning of October. Each trap had a game camera to record activity and allowed team members to monitor a lynx when one was captured.

"We are in year three and one of the issues with trapping early in the fall is that the bears have not entered hibernation," said Rose Piccinini, wildlife biologist for Colville Tribes Fish and Wildlife (CTFW). "Because of this we use scents and visual aids rather than meat or carcasses as bait. Feathers, pieces of deer hide, and other visual attractants are used to bring in curious cats."

The team trapped four males and three females as of mid-December and the group may be trapping additional Canada lynx in January. They were able to do this by setting up about 72 traps. "The traps were checked daily and re-scented orbaited every other day," said Sam Rushing, wildlife biologist for CTFW. Those involved were the BC trappers who ownthe trap lines, Conservation Northwest staff, our staff, and several other volunteers."

"When we get a lynx in a trap we transfer the cat to a kenneland it's moved to an overnight holding facility," said Piccinini.

"The lynx is isolated in a quiet and calm area to help reduce stress. Once under anesthesia each lynx is weighed, checked for overall health and body condition, sexed, and aged," she said. "The cat's vitals are monitored throughout the entireprocess while they are photographed, receive an ear tag, get fit with a GPS collar and have their DNA collected."

Lynx are listed as a federally threated species in Washington state but not in Canada. So in Canada it is legal to trap them.

Multiple permits were required to transport the animals across the border.

"It takes approximately two hours from the lynx trapping house to the border and another two hours from the border to the release site," said Marcus McClung, wildlife biologist for CTFW. "The lynx were given food and water to prepare them for relocation before they leave to cross the border.

They are awake because they were trapped and processed the day before."

The Colville Confederated Tribes partnered with Conservation Northwest, Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT), Okanagan Nation Alliance and others with the goal of relocating at least 50 Canada lynx to the reservation in five years.

"We're about halfway toward our goal of releasing 50 lynx on Colville lands in the Kettle Range," said Dave Werntz, Conservation Northwest science and conservation senior director. "Most remain in the Kettles, and from the handful that have traveled north (some south again) we've learned anton about connectivity pathways to other lynx populations."