| Summary: | In this report we summarize accomplishments of the Canada Lynx Ecology in the Great Lakes Region project. We carried out initial work in the Superior National Forest to address 4 major questions about this Canada lynx population: distribution, abundance, persistence, and habitat requirements. In the first 8 months of this project we have captured and deployed radiotelemetry collars on 8 Canada lynx. Each animal was relocated approximately weekly after being collared. Of the 8 Canada lynx that have been collared, 2 have died. Two of the collars deployed on Canada lynx were GPS collars. This marked the first time ever that a GPS collar was deployed on Canada lynx. We downloaded the locations from one of these GPS collars when one of the collared animals was recaptured on December 30th, 2003 after wearing the GPS collar for 3 weeks. The importance of GPS collar data for understanding movements and habitat use of Canada lynx should not be underestimated. In addition to the telemetry research, we have also conducted the first year of surveys for the major prey species of Canada lynx: snowshoe hare and red squirrel. Permanent pellet plots were established throughout the SNF for snowshoe hare. Plots were distributed based on stratified random, systematic, and selective site selection strategies. We established new plots to estimate red squirrel abundance in an area of known high lynx density, and also utilized an existing long-term data set for red squirrel abundance from SNF. Another year of surveys following the National Lynx Survey protocol was completed, and a snow-track survey for Canada lynx and other mesocarnivores was completed on the National Lynx Survey grid. There were also many opportunities to disseminate information on Canada lynx to the biological community and to the general public. More than 10 presentations on lynx biology were given by project personnel. Project personnel assisted in planning, helped with field trips, and gave presentations at the National Lynx and Wolverine Steering Committee ...
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