For decades, wildlife biologists assumed that because the snowshoe hare population was down in Voyageurs National Park, it was unlikely any lynx were reproducing in the area, until now. In trail cam footage captured last fall, by the Voyageurs Wolf Project, researchers spotted two lynx kittens being trailed by their mother. This sighting is encouraging as it means that the rarely seen animals are finding prey in the southernmost areas of their range.
Unexpected sighting
As wildlife researchers reviewed hours of video from Voyageurs National Park (VNP), an unexpected creature came into view. Two tawny lynx kittens trotted down a barely distinguishable animal trail, deep in the woods. They were followed by their mother.
The footage was captured on a trail camera set up by the Voyageurs Wolf Project, a University of Minnesota research project that has been documenting how wolves behave in the summer. The sighting, which was captured last fall on the Kabetogama Peninsula, was the first verified occurrence of kittens in the park and “one of only a few observations of known lynx reproduction in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem,” according to the project’s Facebook page.
Tom Gable, a wolf researcher with the University, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that while the discovery of this family is encouraging, sightings and evidence of reproduction, “It’s just not a common thing.”
3rd largest population
An estimated 200 lynx live in Minnesota, most of which range in the northeastern portion of the state. While designated as threatened, Minnesota has the third-largest population outside of Alaska and Maine. They have been protected since 1984.
The lynx is about the same size as a bobcat. However, they have gray to reddish-brown fur, white undersides, long, dark ear tufts, and a chin goatee. Another defining feature is their black-tipped tail. Adults weigh between 20 and 44 pounds.
Lynx mainly eat snowshoe hares, which experience population highs and lows roughly every 10 years. As a result, lynx populations fluctuate along with them. John Erb, a research biologist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, told the Tribune that these cycles have become less dramatic, producing smaller hare populations. “You still get these little blips, but it’s just not as strong as a cycle,” he said.
The wild cats mate later in the winter, and the mother gives birth to 2–4 kittens about 2 months later. If hares are abundant, the kittens have a high chance of survival. They stay with their mother for a year before establishing their own home ranges.
Ongoing studies
Since 2000, the U.S. Forest Service and Voyageurs have conducted studies showing that the region lacked enough prey to sustain a lynx population. Researchers studying lynx generally track them in the snow and collect genetic samples from scat, hair, and tissue. When they test the samples, they can determine the animals’ sex and reproductive success.
Most sightings in Voyaguers seem to be of individual animals passing through. Additionally, there was no evidence of lynx reproducing in or around the park. This makes the VNP sighting all the more important, as it confirms that lynx are reproducing in an area where reproduction hasn’t been observed in years.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has set up a tracking page where people can voluntarily report sightings. The Voyageurs Wolf Project is mostly funded by private donations, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, and other funding partners.
More info:
- Lynx kittens spotted in Voyageurs for first time in years – The Minnesota Star Tribune
- Summary of the Superior National Forest’s Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) DNA database and population monitoring 2024 – Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- Lynx sightings – Minnesota Department of Natural Resources