BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont wildlife officials last week said a rare Canada Lynx first spotted in Rutland and Addison counties in August continues to be making the rounds.
Biologists with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department say it’s the first time in years they have seen the big cat in Vermont and that they continue to receive verifiable photos and videos of what they believe is the same animal.
“It’s a big deal because it’s a federally threatened species, and it’s a state endangered species, and it’s rare to have here in Vermont. We are on the southernmost portion of its range, and so that doesn’t really bode well for the future of them, given global climate change and its predictions of having lower snowpack. But I would say that it’s important to see the species because it’s an indicator species,” said Brehan Furfey, the leader of furbearer projects for Vt. Fish and Wildlife.
It indicates the habitat is not only good for the wildcat but its prey, too.
“It’s showing us that not only has it found good habitat and good corridors to move through, but it’s also showing us that there’s potentially some pretty good hare habitat, or good hare densities to keep it here,” Furfey said.
Part of that habitat started with work in Shrewsbury where the lynx was first spotted. Conservation Planner Jens Hawkins-Hilka points to work at the local level, working on things like wildlife road crossings.
“That larger understanding of, ‘Hey, wildlife are crossing roads. Wildlife need connected habitat.’ That message is really sinking in when you walk those road segments and you see, ‘Holy smokes, an animal crossed right here! I had no idea,’” Hawkins-Hilka said.
Seeing the lynx has been a big deal for the community.
“They were thrilled when the news of this lynx came out. And it really dovetailed with some of their results, in terms of where wildlife was tracking,” Hawkins-Hilka said.
But Hawkins-Hilka points to the bigger picture work of connecting habitats.
“Not just talking the movement of individual animals and the longevity of individual animals– that’s absolutely important, but we are really talking about entire populations and allowing genetic change between populations. Populations that are completely isolated and surrounded by roads and development– those don’t do as well,” Hawkins-Hilka said.
As for the lynx, they feel it has been successful.
“I think this is absolutely a success story. It speaks to connected habitats across Vermont that this lynx is able to survive and move between forest blocks looking for mates looking for new habitat and new opportunity is a tremendous success story. It speaks to what we have here in Vermont is something special. We are still enjoying connected habitat. Let’s maintain what we have got,” Hawkins-Hilka said.
Vt. Fish and Wildlife officials say if you see wildlife like a lynx, be sure to keep your distance. And they encourage Vermonters who think they have a photo or video of a lynx to take two steps. First, learn how to tell Canada lynx from the closely related bobcat, which is much more common in Vermont. Second, if you’re confident your photo or video is a lynx, email it to the department at fwinformation@vermont.gov.