FRISCO, Colo.—Two recent sightings of lynx around Summit County suggest the mountain cats may be using the area more and more, said Tom Kroening, Colorado Division of Wildlife manager for the area.
Skiers staying at a backcountry cabin during an avalanche class spotted a lynx several weeks ago, and last week, visitors saw a lynx on the edge of a trail at Breckenridge Ski Area. Both had photographic proof.
Kroening said it’s possible that both groups saw the same animal. Still, he said the sightings show the Tenmile Range is important for the elusive Canada lynx and other wildlife.
“It’s important to keep that habitat functional,” Kroening said. “I’m very encouraged they’re in the area. In my opinion, that’s a good thing.”
A recent Forest Service study showed intense human recreation around Vail Pass is making it more difficult for the cats to use resting and foraging habitat.
State officials consider the Canada lynx to be endangered. Since 1999, in a reintroduction program, 218 of the long-haired mountain cats trapped in Canada and Alaska have been released in the San Juan Mountains.
Wildlife officials placed radio collars on the lynx to track them. The collars show the reintroduced lynx have been using the White River National Forest extensively. Most of the lynx that were released in the San Juans have stayed in that area, but the cats have established a secondary core population in the Collegiate Range around Independence Pass.
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Information from: Summit Daily News,
