Lynx are showing up everywhere this spring. We've been seeing fresh tracks every day Lynx every other day. There is some speculation that the lynx are extra hungry because the snowshoe hares are in decline, but I'm not so sure. In any case it's exciting sharing the grids with the big cats.

Lynx on Kloo

Still a few hares around, actually I haven't really noticed a decline.

The other day I stumbled upon a lynx eating a squirrel! I was radiotracking a Kloo female (to see if she was in estrus) and she led me right to the lynx. Turns out she was in estrus today and the unlucky male was likely distracted by that.

"What squirrel?"

Female squirrels come into estrus for one day and spend the whole day leading what we call a mating chase. The males involved in the chase seem to turn off their predator avoidance (Sara even had one run up her leg) so it's not too surprising that the lynx was successful. Also, the night before we had about 3 inches of snow which slowed the squirrels down a lot. They look a little like otters swimming through the powder.

After the lynx finished off the male it took off towards the negatives and found Abe and the mating chase that he was following. Abe had lost the female for a minute and by the time he found her she too had been caught by the lynx! The females are usually more cautious so I'm a little surprised that she was nabbed.

Radio collar untouched. Lynx ate the liver this time but left an arm?

-Ryan