| The forest service reports that evidence of a Canada Lynx like the one above has been found near Joe’s Valley. |
The forest service confirmed Sept. 3 that hair samples from Canada Lynx were found in the Joe’s Valley area. It is the first confirmed lynx in Utah since 1991. Lynx are listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Attractants, like scents and visuals, were used to collect samples from lynx already in the area. Like your house cat, lynx and other animals will rub against things to leave scent. Hairs that stick to the barbed nails and carpet containing the attractant are sent to a lab to determine what animal they belong to.
The forest service checked the area and procedures to see if there was any possibility that the sample site was tampered with. “In the western United States, lynx generally live in evergreen forests,” said Rod Player, Ecosystem Group Leader. “The hair sample was collected in an isolated location in good lynx habitat and there is no indication that this is anything except a real lynx sample. We are checking other possibilities, however, to see if an escapee from a fur farm, someone’s pet, or a transplanted lynx from Colorado found its way to the Joe’s Valley area.”
The forest service will work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure that ongoing activities are compatible with the needs of the lynx. The main considerations are: management of vegetation, expansion of winter recreation, and trapping.
“We are excited about welcoming the lynx back to the state. Our goal is delisting the species and seeing it back in its place in the forest,” said Player.
For more information, please contact Elaine Zieroth, Forest Supervisor, or Rod Player, Group Ecosystem Leader at 435-637-2817.