The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a mid-sized boreal forest carnivore that occurs across most of northern North America. In the contiguous United States, Canada lynx were designated as a distinct population segment and listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2000. This was due solely to the inadequacy, at that time, of regulatory mechanisms on federal public lands, where most potential lynx habitat occurs. Federal land management plans at that time were deemed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be inadequate to ensure the conservation of lynx populations and habitats. In all regions within the distinct population segment range, timber harvest, recreation and their related activities are the predominant land uses with the potential to affect lynx habitats and populations.

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been working with federal land managers across the distinct population segment range since Canada lynx were first granted protection under the Endangered Species Act. This includes coordinating with land managers and the lynx research community to formally amend management plans and implement science-based conservation measures to conserve the species and its habitats. We’ve also been coordinating with tribal nations, state agencies and private landowners to conserve lynx and hare habitats and populations.