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By Gary Gerhardt
Rocky Mountain News
January 26, 1999
A dozen lynxes from British Columbia are scheduled to be shipped to
Colorado by the end of this week and should be set free in the San Juan
and Rio Grande national forests next week.
The first releases, scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, will be near
South Fork west of Del Norte in the San Luis Valley.
Other releases will be along the Continental Divide between Wolf Creek
Pass and Silverton.
"We understand trappers in B.C. have a dozen, maybe 13, lynx in
captivity now," said Todd Malmsbury, spokesman for the Colorado
Division of Wildlife.
He said the animals will remain in holding cages on private property
for a couple of days before the females are released to establish
territories.
A couple of weeks later, the males will be released.
Malmsbury said he doesn't know the sex ratio of the animals, but when
the number reached nine, six were females and three were males.
"That's a good mix," he said.
The lynx, a medium-sized wildcat that is similar in appearance to the
far more abundant bobcat, hasn't been seen in Colorado since 1973, when
one was trapped near Vail.
The re-introduction has been controversial among cattlemen, farmers and
outfitters who believe the lynx, headed for listing as an endangered
species, will restrict grazing and hunting on public forest lands.
The Mountain States Legal Foundation has sued to stop the
re-introduction. The suit was filed on behalf of the Colorado
Cattlemen's Association, Colorado Woolgrowers, Colorado Farm Bureau and
Colorado Outfitters Association.
Canada Lynx
Lynx canadensis
January 26:
12 Lynxes are Coming this Week
1999 ARCHIVES:
DIVISION of WILDLIFE
Canadian Lynx Could Arrive in Colorado Next Week
Press Releases