Return Of The Snow Cat - cpw.state.co.us€¦ · Lesson 6: No Cat Is An Island Lesson 7: It’s A...

Return Of The Snow Cat

The Reintroduction Of Lynx To Colorado

Return Of The Snow Cat

The Reintroduction Of Lynx To Colorado

Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by US Fish & Wildlife Service WildlifeConservation and Restoration Program Grant No R-11-1, Great Outdoors ColoradoTrust Fund (GOCO), and the sportsmen of Colorado.

Kevin S. McKelvey, USDA Forest Service,Rocky Mountain Research Station,Missoula, MT, for providing lynx occurrencedata from 1842 through 1998.

For assistance in developing the field test:

Anne Tweed, Senior Science Consultant,McREL (Mid-continent Research forEducation and Learning)

Pam Van Scotter, Director, BSCS (BiologicalSciences Curriculum Study) Center forCurriculum Development.

Nicole Knapp, Science Educator, BSCS

Field-test Educators:

Robert Lancaster, Walsh High School,Walsh, CO

Mark Little, Broomfield High School,Broomfield, CO

Lyn Neve, Swink High School, Swink, CO

Camille Schiraldi, TH Pickens TechnicalCenter, Aurora, CO

Fran Sturgis, Adams City High School,Commerce City, CO

Cherie Wyatt, Burlington Middle School,Burlington, CO

Debbie Yeager, Moffat County High School,Craig, CO

The Colorado Division of Wildlife gratefully acknowledges the following individuals:

Content Advisors and Reviewers:

Tanya Shenk, Senior ResearchBiologist, Mammal Research

Jeff Rucks, Head of Education, DOW

Lisa Evans, Northeast RegionEducation Coordinator, DOW

Steve Lucero, Southeast RegionEducation Coordinator, DOW

Linda Groat, Southeast Region RuralEducation Specialist, DOW

Debbie Lerch-Cushman, Metro DenverEducation Coordinator, DOW

Stan Johnson, Northwest RegionEducation Coordinator, DOW

Renee Herring, Wildlife WatchCoordinator, DOW

Map Development:

Don Schrupp, Southwest ReGAP,Colorado Principal Investigator

Eric Waller, Southwest ReGAP,Colorado Land Cover Coordinator

Graphic Design:

Darren Eurich, State of ColoradoIntegrated Document Solutions (IDS)

Illustrations:

Helen Zane Jensen, Life-Size SnowTracks

Marjorie Leggitt, All Other Illustrations

Classroom Observations and EducatorInterviews:

James Philips

Wendy Hanophy

Administrative Assistance:

Mackenzie Bulger

Chris Flohr

Paula Zangari

Project Coordinator and Editor:

Wendy Hanophy, DOW

Writers:

Wendy Hanophy, DOW

Jeff Keidel, Buena Vista High School,Buena Vista, CO

Copy Editor:

Dawn Taylor Owens, ColoradoDepartment of Natural Resources

Printing:

State of Colorado IntegratedDocument Solutions (IDS) PrintOperations

©Copyright 2005 by Colorado Division of Wildlife. All rightsreserved. Permission granted to reproduce handouts andtransparencies for classroom use. All illustrations are copy-righted by the artists and may not be reproduced for otherthan classroom use—they may not be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic ormechanical, or by any information storage or retrievalsystem, without permission in writing. For permissions andother rights under this copyright, please contact ColoradoDivision of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216,Attn: Wendy Hanophy.

Return Of The Snow Cat The Reintroduction Of Lynx To Colorado

Module Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Lesson 1: Lynx Links Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Lynx Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Lesson 2: Planning The“Purrrfect” Comeback

Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . . 22

Planning the “Purrrfect Comeback” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Lesson 3: Map That Cat Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . . 32

Lynx Sightings in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado . . . . . . . 48

Lesson 4: Built-in Snowshoes Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . . 50

Built-in Snowshoes . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Table Of ContentsTable Of Contents

Lesson 5: Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . . 66

Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow . . . . 72

Lesson 6: No Cat Is An Island Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . . 82

No Cat Is An Island . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Lesson 7: It’s A Plot! Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . 100

It’s A Plot! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Lesson 8: Seven Steps To Success

Educator’s Overview. . . . . . . . . . 114

Seven Steps To Success . . . . . . 116

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Table Of ContentsTable Of Contents

1R e t u r n O f T h e S n o w C a t

Module O

verview

Cool Cats, Cool ScienceOne hundred years ago, Colorado had

fewer than 2,000 elk, 7,000 deer, and 1,000pronghorn. Through the efforts of involvedcitizens and the Colorado Division of Wildlife(DOW), our state now has more than 300,000elk, 500,000 deer, and 60,000 pronghorn. TheDOW has also restored diminishing popu-lations of river otters, ospreys, peregrinefalcons, bald eagles and greenback cutthroattrout to healthy levels.

Now, a historic and heroic project isunderway to return the beautiful Canada lynxto its historic range in Colorado. The mid-sizewildcat was presumed extirpated from thestate and listed as “state endangered” in1973. After many years searching for anyremaining lynx, the Colorado Division ofWildlife began a pro-active reintroductioneffort. The first lynx were released on February3, 1999. By 2000, the regal cat with the shorttail, large fur-covered paws and tufted earswas listed as “threatened” under the federalEndangered Species Act. Colorado’s lynxrestoration project seeks to prevent the lynxfrom ever reaching “endangered” status, andhopefully to delist them altogether.

This is only the second time in NorthAmerica that a lynx reintroduction has beenattempted. The first effort to establish lynx inAdirondack Park in New York in the late1980’s failed. There was no adequate moni-toring plan, and it was impossible to discernwhere the project went wrong. WhenColorado decided to undertake this project,the state put in place stringent scientific moni-toring. Not only would this experimentalapproach enhance the success of the reintro-duction, it would allow scientists to add to agrowing body of knowledge about speciesrestoration.

The reintroduction sounds interesting, butyou may wonder what’s in it for you and yourstudents. Are you interested in providingstudents with an opportunity to explore theapplications of science to real issues? Do youlong for materials with real depth that canallow your students to explore a topic in manyways? Do you want your students to use real(and current) research data to analyze, drawconclusions about, and apply to real situ-ations? Understand and interpret patternsfrom numbers? Use the scientific process toraise their own questions, develop hypothesesand examine data to test them? Developcritical reading skills? Understand the cross-disciplinary nature of science issues andproblems? If you answered yes to any ofthese questions, this module is for you.

What is This?This eight-lesson module, designed for

two weeks of classroom instruction, teachesbasic high school level ecology (ecosystems,population dynamics, and more) using realresearch data from the Colorado Division ofWildlife’s lynx reintroduction efforts. Themodule is designed to supplement or replacethe activities found in most high schoolbiology, ecology, or environmental sciencetextbooks that address these topics. It is thefirst module developed by the DOW toaddress the specific learning objectives ofhigh school students. Materials are inquiry-based, develop critical thinking skills, supplyevidence to support each concept, andinclude a field research experience.

Module Overview

Return Of The Snow CatThe Reintroduction Of Lynx To Colorado

2 R e t u r n O f T h e S n o w C a t

Mod

ule

Ove

rvie

w

Using Return Of The Snow Cat: The Reintroduction Of Lynx ToColorado in Your Classroom

The lessons in this module are designedto be taught in sequence. For each activity,the students take on the role of a scientist,receive an introduction to the problem and totheir task, are required to choose relevantinformation, and collect, record, and analyzedata.

To supplement this module, each regionalDOW office has a Lynx Loan Box available forcheck out. The box contains pelts and skullsof many subalpine animals, additional lessons,print material, and videos. Contact theEducation Coordinator in your region toreserve the loan box:

Stan Johnson, Education Coordinator, NW Region 711 Independent Ave. Grand Junction, CO 81505 970-255-6191

Linda Groat, Rural Education Specialist, SE Region 2500 S. Main Lamar, CO 81052 719-336-6608

Steve Lucero, Education Coordinator SE Region 4255 Sinton Road Colorado Springs, CO 80907 719-227-5203

Lisa Evans, Education Coordinator, NE Region 317 W. Prospect Ft Collins, CO 80526 970-472-4343

Debbie Lerch-Cushman, EducationCoordinator, Denver Metro Area 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80216 303-291-7328

Correlation to the Colorado ModelContent Standards

Return Of The Snow Cat: TheReintroduction Of Lynx To Colorado supportsteachers in their efforts to provide theknowledge and skills specified in theColorado Model Content Standards and thecorresponding grade level assessmentframeworks.

Lynx


Module O

verview

Science1: Students understand the processes of X X X X X X Xscientific investigation and design. They conduct, communicate about and evaluate such investigations.

2.3: Students understand that interactions Xcan produce changes in a system, although the total quantities of matter and energy remain unchanged.

3.1: Students know and understand the X X X X X X X Xcharacteristics of living things, the diversity of life, and how living things interact with each other and with their environment.

3.3: Students know and understand how the Xhuman body functions, factors that influence its structures and functions, and how these structures and functions compare with those of other organisms.

5: Students know and understand inter- X X X Xrelations among science, technology, and human activity and how they can affect the world.

6: Students understand that science involves X X X X X Xa particular way of knowing and understand common connections among scientific disciplines.

Lesson 6: No Cat Is An Island

Lesson 7: It’s A Plot!


COLORADO MODEL CONTENT STANDARDS

Lesson 3: Map That Cat

Lesson 4: Built-in

Snowshoes

Lesson 5: Hare Today,

Gone Tomorrow

Lesson 1: Lynx Links

Lesson 2: Planning The“Purrrfect”Comeback

Reading and Writing1: Students read and understand a variety X X X X X X X Xof materials.

2: Students write and speak for a variety of X Xpurposes and audiences.

3: Students write and speak using X Xconventional grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

4: Students apply thinking skills to their X X X X X X X Xreading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.

5: Students read to locate, select, and make X X X X Xuse of relevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources.






Lesson 4: Built-in

Snowshoes


Gone Tomorrow




Mod

ule

Ove

rvie

w

Mathematics1: Students develop number sense and use X X X X Xnumbers and number relationships in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.

2: Students use algebraic methods to explore, Xmodel, and describe patterns and functions involving numbers, shapes, data, and graphs in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.

3: Students use data collections and analysis, X X X X X Xstatistics, and probability in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.

4: Students use geometric concepts, Xproperties, and relationships in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.

5: Students use a variety of tools and X X X Xtechniques to measure, apply the results in problem-solving situations, and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.

6: Students link concepts and procedures X X X X X X Xas they develop and use computational techniques, including estimation, mental arithmetic, paper-and-pencil, calculators, and computers, in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.






Lesson 4: Built-in

Snowshoes


Gone Tomorrow



Geography1: Students know how to use and construct X X X Xmaps, globes, and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people,places, and environments.

2: Students know the physical and human X Xcharacteristics of places, and use this knowledge to define and study regions and their patterns of change.

3: Students understand how physical X X X X X X Xprocesses shape Earth's surface patterns and systems.

5: Students understand the effects of X X X Xinteractions between human and physical systems and the changes in meaning, use and importance of resources.






Lesson 4: Built-in

Snowshoes


Gone Tomorrow




Module O

verview

Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

Learning ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to:

• Compare the features ofColorado’s native felines: lynx,bobcat, and mountain lion.

• Construct a timeline illustratingthe history of lynx in Colorado.

• Define wildlife managementand list some wildlifemanagement techniques.

• Define basic wildlifemanagement terms by inferringmeaning from the context inwhich the term is used.

• Distinguish between state andfederal wildlife managementagencies and the responsi-bilities of each.

• Define “threatened” and“endangered” as applied towildlife and state and federallaw.

BackgroundFor many students and

adults, reading science is likereading a foreign language.Whether the science writing is found in a textbook, anewspaper, a journal, or on theInternet, it often containsvocabulary that is unique to thatscience area. Even words andphrases that are familiar can beused in different ways and havedifferent meanings in a scientificcontext. For example, a wildlifebiologist using the terms “game,”“community,” or “seasons” israrely referring to Bingo, herneighborhood, or summer.

For students to be able tomake sense of what they read,vocabulary development and theability to access prior knowledgeare crucial. Often the writer ofscientific material takes forgranted that the readers sharethe same basic knowledge andjargon. This first activity isdesigned to acknowledge thispeculiar fault of scientists andbegin to encourage students to

Educator’s Overview

Lynx Links

SummaryThis activity is designed to build active science reading

skills, and establish basic vocabulary and concepts forunderstanding what wildlife management is, who does it,what lynx are, and some history of lynx in Colorado. Thisactivity serves as a foundation to study lynx ecology andthe science of reintroducing species.

Lesson 1

Duration One 45-minute class period

VocabularyBag limit

Candidate species

Census method

Colorado Division ofWildlife (DOW)

Conterminous 48states

District WildlifeManager (DWM)

Endangered

EndangeredSpecies Act (ESA)

Extirpated

Extinct

Game animal

Habitat

Natural resource

Population

Recovered

Recovery plan

Reintroduction

Season

Species of specialconcern

Threatened

U.S. Fish andWildlife Service(USFWS)

Viable population

Wildlifemanagement


Lesson 1: Lynx Linksthink about strategies they mightuse to understand new words orconcepts.

There will be some wordspresented in the student readingthat are not directly defined. Youand your students will probablynotice these, as they are in boldtext, just like some other wordsthat are immediately followedwith a definition. Students will beasked to make sense of thesewords without using a dictionaryand later discuss their thinkingprocesses.

While students are workingon reading skills, they will belearning some key conceptsrelated to lynx and wildlifemanagement. These conceptswill form a conceptual frameworkfor students as they proceedthrough the remainder of the unit.

Teaching Strategies1. Thoroughly read the studentactivity for Lynx Links.

2. This activity introduces theentire unit, Return of the SnowCat: the Reintroduction of Lynxto Colorado to the students. Thisfirst activity, Lynx Links, providesa great opportunity to getstudents excited about the topic.Begin by playing the DVD: Returnof the Snow Cat: theReintroduction of Lynx toColorado for students. Tell themthat they will be studying aboutlynx and the extraordinary effortto restore populations of thisnative cat. Let students know thisis a current issue—and anexperiment of immenseimportance.

3. Optional: It is optional, buthighly recommended, that youobtain a Lynx Loan Box fromyour Regional Colorado Divisionof Wildlife office (see moduleoverview). The box contains lynx,bobcat, and mountain lion peltsand skulls which can be used forstudent observation.

You can begin by placing thecolored photographs of the lynx,bobcat and lion in a visible place.If you have the loan box, placethe skull replicas and pelts in avisible place as well.

4. Inform students that theirresearch of lynx will involve notonly various experiments andsimulated activities, but alsoreading scientific materials fromvarious sources. This initialreading will provide them with thebackground information andvocabulary they need to studythis amazing animal.

Materials andPreparation

• Laminated colorphotographs of

lynx, bobcat, andmountain lion

• Student Readingand Activity Pages

for Lynx Links—one photocopy

per student

• DVD player andmonitor

• DVD: Return ofthe Snow Cat: The

Reintroduction ofLynx to Colorado

• Optional: ObtainLynx Loan Box

from DOWRegional Office


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

5. Give each student Reading and ActivityPages for Lynx Links. After students have readindividually, they can complete the activitieseither alone or in small groups.

6. Review the activities as a group. Thediscussion will give you a good opportunity to point out to students that they use some of the same skills in reading as they do in“hands-on” science: they engage priorknowledge, they hypothesize (I think the wordmeans… because…), they evaluate, look forpatterns, make inferences, and so on.

AssessmentThe student activities can serve as an

assessment for vocabulary, lynx history inColorado, and lynx characteristics.

Provide students with this list of Coloradospecies: mule deer, golden eagle, bullsnake,tiger salamander, sagebrush lizard, snappingturtle, rainbow trout, black bear, red fox,American robin, Woodhouse’s toad, Coloradopikeminnow, and striped skunk. Ask studentsto state whether the Colorado Division ofWildlife or the U.S. Fish & WildlifeService has ultimate authority tomanage each species and why.

(While both state and federal wildlife agenciesmay jointly manage species, the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service has ultimate authority for allfederally listed species and migratory birds:golden eagle, American robin, Coloradopikeminnow; while the Colorado Division ofWildlife manages the rest)

Extensions• Research the names and responsibilities of

the seven other divisions of Colorado’sDepartment of Natural Resources.

Mountain Lion



Student Activity Answer Keys

EXTINCT

1 VIABLEP

2

7

OPULATION

WILDLIF

5

9

EMANAGEMENT

CONTERM

6

INOUS

E

THREATE

11

NED

S U S M T H O D

ENDANGE

13

RED

RECOVER

16

ED

PEOPLE

17

GAMEANI

15

MAL

RANGE

19

E X T R P A T E D3

A G L I M I TU S F S4

W M

R I N T R D U C I O N10

N A T R A L E S O U R C S12

8

H B I T T14

S A S O N18

N D N G R E D S P E C I S C20

3. A species that has beeneliminated from part of itshistorical range

4. Agency responsible formanaging migratory birds,marine mammals andfederally “listed” species

7. The number of a speciesthat can be harvested in aspecified period of time

8. Method to count membersof a population, part ofpopulation monitoring

9. A special Colorado biologistwho is also a lawenforcement officer

10. An attempt to re-establish aspecies in an area that wasonce part of its historicalrange

12. That portion of the envi-ronment that people haveassigned value to or use

14. The arrangement of food,water, shelter and spacesuitable to an animal’s needs

18. The time of year one canhunt or fish

20. A 1973 federal law thatprotects animals and plantsfrom extinction in thiscountry

1. A species that no longerexists on this planet

2. Population that is largeenough and healthy enoughto be self-sustaining in thewild

5. The application of scientificknowledge to sustain wildlifeand its habitat

6. Enclosed within onecommon boundary

11. Species that are vulnerablebecause they exist in smallnumbers or in a limitedrange

13. A species that is inimmediate danger ofbecoming extinct in all or alarge portion of its range

15. Animals that people canlegally hunt, trap or fish

16. When a species populationis large or healthy enough tobe taken off the “list”

17. The owners of wildlife in theUnited States

19. The geographic region wherea plant or animal speciesnormally lives

Across Down


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

This timeline represents one possibility;students’ timelines should be similar.

Since students have been asked tochoose the features to compare the threefelines, this represents just one possibleexample of a comparison table.

FEATURE

Weight Tail Tufts on Ears?

Spots orStripes? Fur Color Size of Feet

LYNX 20–30 lbs. Bobbed,black tip

Yes No Uniform in color, thick and long

Large inproportion

to body

BOBCAT 20–30 lbs. Bobbed,black spot on

top of tip,white below

Yes Yes Striped on body, not as

thick

In proportion with the rest of the body

MOUNTAIN LION 130 lbs. Long,black tip

No No Uniform color,not thick

In proportion with the rest of the body

Present

18901878

2000

1900

1990

1910

1980

1920

1970

1930

1960

1940

1950

1878–1935:14 records of lynx

1897: Creation of statewildlife agency (CDOW)

1968–1973:4 records of lynx

1973: Last known lynx killed on Vail ski area/Endangered Species Act passed

1979–1999:12 statewide investigations

to find lynx (none found)

1993: U.S. Forest Service designateslynx as a sensitive species

1992: Petition filed to list lynx asa federally endangered species

1993–99:$500 reward offered

for information on lynx 1999: Lynx reintroduced to Colorado

2000: Lynx officially listedas threatened by USFWS

Bobcat



Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

Lesson 1


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

Lynx, the Snow CatThe name lynx comes from the Greek

word, leukos, which means white. That’snot surprising, because these wild catstend to live where there is a lot of snow. Infact, as you will soon discover, lynx areuniquely suited to travel and hunt in deepsnow.

The lynx is one of Colorado’s threenative species of wild felines (cats)—the

others being the mountain lion and thebobcat. It’s easy to distinguish a lynx froma mountain lion. Lynx weigh about 20-to-30 pounds; lions weigh about 130 pounds.Lynx have short, “bobbed” tails, andmountain lions have graceful, black-tippedtails that are nearly three feet long.

On the other hand, telling a lynx from abobcat can be pretty difficult if you don’tknow what to look for. Both are abouttwice the size of a domestic cat, have

Student Pages

Lynx Links

SummaryThis first section provides you with a foundation for studying lynx reintro-

duction in Colorado—it will “link” together some basic concepts. Included isinformation about lynx and what is known about their history in our state, thescience of wildlife management, and a working definition of reintroductionand its use as a management tool to recover wildlife species.

Bobcat



bobbed tails, and tufts of fur on the tips oftheir ears. But the two cats do have somenoticeable differences! The tip of the tailon a lynx is completely black, as if the tailhad been dipped in ink. The tip of the tailof a bobcat has a black spot on the topand is white underneath, and the bobcat’stail will often have several black stripes.Lynx typically have long, thick fur that isuniformly grayish-brown in winter, andshorter and more reddish in the summer.They lack distinct spots and striping. Incontrast, bobcats will typically havedistinct spotting on their coats andstriping on their front legs and faces.

The most conspicuous differencebetween lynx and bobcats are in thepaws. Lynx feet are huge and look out ofproportion to the rest of their body—likefurry clown feet! Bobcats have muchsmaller paws, and in profile theylook mostly like a big housecat.

The History of Lynx in ColoradoLynx sightings have always been rare

in Colorado. Perhaps this is because thissecretive cat lives in areas where mostpeople don’t usually travel, or perhapsthey have never existed in large numbers.A 1911 report, “A Biological Survey ofColorado,” referred to lynx as “tolerablycommon” in some parts of the state, butmentioned that “its numbers are rapidlydecreasing.” Prior to the reintroductionprogram, only 18 authenticated records ofthe species existed in the state and 14 ofthose occurred between 1878 and 1935.The remaining four documented records,between January 1968 and February 1973,all occurred in the central mountainswithin a 35-mile radius of Hoosier Pass,

Mountain Lion


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

south of Breckenridge. The last knownlynx in Colorado was illegally trapped andkilled on the Vail ski area in February 1973.

Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW)biologists began to wonder if any lynxremained in the state. Between 1979 and1998, researchers conducted 12 investi-gations in Colorado to document thepresence of lynx. Intensive efforts—usingsnow tracking (5,833.5 miles), hair snags(62 locations), remote cameras (110locations) and snares (686 trap nights)—yielded only 11 sets of tracks with a highprobability, but not absolute certainty, ofbeing lynx.

From 1993 until the start of the lynxreintroduction program in 1999, the DOWoffered a $500 reward for positive infor-mation on lynx, but never paid out anymoney. Researchers concluded that if anylynx remained in Colorado, their numberswere so small they did not represent aviable population and were notdetectable by known census methods. Itwas quite possible that lynx had beenextirpated from Colorado.

So, what’s this Colorado Divisionof Wildlife?

Since the founding of the UnitedStates in 1776, wildlife has always beenconsidered a public resource. Uniqueamong nations—in the new democracy,wildlife belonged to the people, not theking.

In the early years, wildlife wasabundant and new settlers made use ofanimals in whatever way they could. Somespecies were hunted for food, while otherswere collected for fur, feathers, or othervaluable parts. Some species, particularlylarge predators such as wolves, lions, andbears, were eradicated because theyposed a threat to human life or competedwith humans for resources.

As time passed, wildlife populationsbegan to dwindle and concern grew forthe long-term well being of wildlife popu-lations. People began to pass laws toregulate the harvest of wildlife and studythe best methods to sustain wildlifespecies. The field of wildlife managementwas born. Wildlife management isdefined as the application of scientificknowledge and technical skills to protect,preserve, conserve, limit, enhance orextend the value of wildlife and its habitat.



Each state was given jurisdiction overmost of the plants and animals in its state.Most states typically have a Department ofNatural Resources that oversees all thenatural resources—that portion of theenvironment upon which people haveplaced or assigned value or see as beingavailable for use. In Colorado, theDepartment of Natural Resources isdivided into eight smaller agencies or“divisions” that manage minerals, statelands, parks, oil and gas, forests, water,and wildlife. Since 1897, the ColoradoDivision of Wildlife has had the responsi-bility to manage wildlife as a public trust,for all the people of the state.

Some Tools of WildlifeManagement

Wildlife agencies employ trained biol-ogists and other specialists who designand carry out management plans basedon the needs and desired outcomes for agiven species. They have a variety of tech-niques and tools they can use to maintainwildlife populations at optimal levels.Some examples are:

• Population monitoring—estimating thenumber of individuals of a species eitherdirectly (by counting individual animals)or indirectly (through evidence such astracks, scat, or nests);

• Habitat analysis—identifying the keyneeds of the animal in question (food,water, shelter, space);

• Habitat protection—passing laws thatprotect key habitat for the species;

• Protection—passing laws that makeinjuring or killing that species a crime;

• Habitat improvement—adding orimproving key components of thespecies’ habitat;

• Education—providing information to thepublic about wildlife habitat and needs.

Some management techniques applyonly to game animals—animals thatpeople can legally hunt, trap, or fish.These include regulations that:

• Set seasons—establishing certain timesof year people may hunt or fish;

• Issue licenses—issuing a certainnumber of licenses or permits to hunt acertain species or a certain sex of thatspecies;

• Set bag limits—allow only a specifiednumber of fish or animals to beharvested within a certain time limit;

• Set size limits—usually for fish, spec-ifying a minimum or maximum weight orlength of a species that may be caught.

Law enforcement goes hand in handwith other wildlife management tech-niques. Many college educated biologistsin wildlife agencies are also highly trainedlaw enforcement officers. In Colorado,these special biologists are known asDistrict Wildlife Managers or DWMs.While their emphasis is on enforcingwildlife regulations, Colorado’s DWMshave the same training and authority as allother peace officers in the state.

Most wildlife management plansinclude public input and include specificsabout when, where, and for how long anymanagement strategy will be used. It isreally important to identify what the planhopes to achieve and to identify anypotential negative effects from the plan.


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

Special Management CasesMarine mammals, and migratory

species such as songbirds and waterfowl,are under the jurisdiction of a federalwildlife agency, the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS), because they crossstate and/or national boundaries. TheDOW also does not have jurisdiction overspecies that are nationally threatened orendangered. However, the DOW activelymanages these species (except marinemammals—Colorado has none) in part-nership with the USFWS.

Lists Actors strive to get on the “A” list and

businesses work hard to make the“Fortune 500.” But there are lists no onewants to be on—state or federalthreatened or endangered species lists. Awildlife species with endangered status isin immediate risk of becoming extinct(eliminated) in all or a large portion of itsrange. Threatened species are not inimmediate peril of extinction, but arevulnerable because they exist in smallnumbers or in such a limited range thatthey may become endangered.

Both the state and federal governmentalso maintain a list of species that may beat risk of becoming threatened orendangered. At the state level, this is thelist of species of special concern. At thefederal level, these species are oftencandidate species for possible listing.

Recovery Plans andReintroduction as a ManagementTechnique

The Endangered Species Act is afederal law passed in 1973 that protectsplants and animals from becoming extinctin this country. When a species is placedon the federal threatened or endangeredspecies list, the federal government,through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,supersedes the state’s authority tomanage that species. Species that areonly on a state’s threatened orendangered species list are still managedby that state’s wildlife agency.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviceand the states to develop recovery plansfor threatened and endangered species.Species are considered “recovered” whenthey can be taken off the list—when theirpopulations are large enough and healthyenough to be self-sustaining in the wild.

Recovery plans, like all other wildlifemanagement plans, make use of differentoptions and techniques. One option isreintroduction, an attempt to re-establisha species in an area that was once part of



its historical range, but from which it hasbeen extirpated. Reintroduction is one ofthe more extreme and costly recoveryoptions, and is chosen only when certainconditions are met and after a rigorousscientific and public review.

The Lynx LinkEfforts to protect lynx populations in

Colorado began in the early 70’s. First, thehunting season on lynx was closed. Lynxwere designated a state endangeredspecies in 1976 by the Colorado WildlifeCommission (the Colorado WildlifeCommission is responsible for statelistings while federal classification is madeby the Secretary of the U.S. Department ofthe Interior). A petition to list lynx as afederally endangered species in theconterminous 48 states was filed in thestate of Washington, but the listing wasdenied in 1992. In 1993, the U.S. ForestService designated lynx as a sensitivespecies, granting it special considerationin land use planning efforts.

In 1997, by order of U.S. District Court,the USFWS was required to review theirdecision not to list lynx. Upon review, theyissued a finding of “warranted butprecluded.” That meant they foundscientific evidence for concern and thelynx was a candidate species.

Since studies could not conclusivelydemonstrate that lynx still existed in viablenumbers, and with the lynx a candidate tobe put on the federal threatened specieslist, DOW biologists began formulating arecovery plan. Given the isolation ofColorado from the nearest northern lynxpopulations, biologists from the DOW andother experts determined that reintro-duction was the only practical option forrecovering the species in our state. Re-introduction of lynx began in 1999. InMarch 2000, lynx were officially listed asthreatened in the conterminous 48 statesby the USFWS.

Lynx


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

Lynx Links—TermsReading scientific reports or textbooks

can be like trying to read material in aforeign language. The world of science,including the world of wildlife biologists,has a language all its own. If you arereading scientific material and cannotunderstand a word, you may not be able tounderstand the concept that goes with it.

Usually, in educational materials suchas this, the writer will “flag” a new termthat he or she thinks may be unfamiliar toyou and define it. An example of this is thesentence, “Wildlife management isdefined as the application of scientificknowledge and technical skills to…” Thenew term is in bold letters and the word“defined” is in the sentence and it isobvious that a term is being defined.

Sometimes, however, the writer isforgetful, or possibly thinks that the wordis a familiar one that anyone wouldunderstand. Or, perhaps, you may beasked to read a scientific article that wasnot primarily written for students and noneof the words are defined. What do you dothen? Your first instinct may be to look inthe dictionary. Usually, that is a very goodidea. Common scientific terms are often indictionaries. But some aren’t. Sometimes,you can look at the sentence morecarefully, look at how the word or term isused and come up with a working defi-nition yourself. The new word may soundlike a word you already know and will besomewhat similar in meaning.

There are five bold words in thematerial that you just read that the author(who, for his or her protection from frus-trated students, will not be identified atthis time) deliberately did not define.

Without using a dictionary, see if youcan figure out the meaning of these wordsand write a working definition of them:

Viable population

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Census method

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Extirpated

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Habitat

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Conterminous

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Now that you think you know whatthese words mean, try the crosswordpuzzle on the next page. Each answer isone of the bold terms in the reading.

1 2

7

5

6

11

13

16

17

15

19

3

4

10

12

8

14

18

20

9



3. A species that has beeneliminated from part of itshistorical range

4. Agency responsible formanaging migratory birds,marine mammals andfederally “listed” species

7. The number of a speciesthat can be harvested in aspecified period of time

8. Method to count membersof a population, part ofpopulation monitoring

9. A special Colorado biologistwho is also a lawenforcement officer

10. An attempt to re-establish aspecies in an area that wasonce part of its historicalrange

12. That portion of the envi-ronment that people haveassigned value to or use

14. The arrangement of food,water, shelter and spacesuitable to an animal’s needs

18. The time of year one canhunt or fish

20. A 1973 federal law thatprotects animals and plantsfrom extinction in thiscountry

1. A species that no longerexists on this planet

2. Population that is largeenough and healthy enoughto be self-sustaining in thewild

5. The application of scientificknowledge to sustain wildlifeand its habitat

6. Enclosed within onecommon boundary

11. Species that are vulnerablebecause they exist in smallnumbers or in a limitedrange

13. A species that is inimmediate danger ofbecoming extinct in all or alarge portion of its range

15. Animals that people canlegally hunt, trap or fish

16. When a species populationis large or healthy enough tobe taken off the “list”

17. The owners of wildlife in theUnited States

19. The geographic region wherea plant or animal speciesnormally lives

Across Down


Less

on 1

: Ly

nx L

inks

TimeTime is important in scientific writing,

just as it is in your life. Most peoplecannot organize their lives or make senseof the world without talking about time.Think about it for a moment. Could youeven describe your life without time? Ifyou tried to tell a friend what you didyesterday, you might have to mentionbreakfast, lunch, or supper. You may havebeen late or early to an event. All theunderlined words reference time, as doyoung, old, day, night, month, year, first,last….well, you get the picture.

Time is used in scientific writing in thesame two ways that it is used in life.

Chronological time is used for describinghistorical events and developments, suchas describing what you did yesterday ordescribing the history of the events thatled to the decision to reintroduce lynx toColorado. Process time, on the otherhand, describes the sequence of aprocess, such as how to bake a cake orhow cells divide.

There were many dates and eventsmentioned in the material that you justread. On your own paper, sketch out atimeline which includes all these dates andevents, beginning in 1878 and ending inthe “present.”

Present

18901878

2000

1900

1990

1910

1980

1920

1970

1930

1960

1940

1950



Cat ComparisonAnother important way to understand

things is by comparing them to otherthings. How can you say that something islarge or hairy unless you have some ideawhat large or hairy means? How large?Bigger than a bread box? Bigger than afreight train? How hairy? More hairy thanan earthworm? A gorilla? Sometimesdescriptions only have meaning when theyare compared to something else.

Ultimately, there are two ways tocompare things. Things are either alike orthey are different. (This anonymous authornow imagines eyes rolling and the word“duh” being uttered by the reader—butstick with me a moment). In life, when youhave a decision to make—like purchasingshoes or deciding between social events—comparing the situation to a past expe-rience can help make your decision easier.

Using what you already know andhave experienced is also helpful forcomparing things and situations inscience. In fact, most scientific endeavors,such as identifying, describing, defining,and classifying, are based on your finelytuned ability to make comparisons.

We usually compare things based ontheir features, some aspect or charac-teristic. For example, you might choosefriends based on their height (short or tall), social competence (outgoing orwithdrawn), or interests (sports or chess).This reading compared the features of thethree native felines in Colorado. Set up atable similar to the one below to comparethem based on features that each has.You choose which features are important.

FEATURE

LYNX

BOBCAT

MOUNTAIN LION

R e t u r n O f T h e S n o w C a t

Less

on 2

: Pl

anni

ng t

he “

Purr

rfec

t” C

omeb

ack

Learning ObjectivesAfter completing this activity, students will be able to:

• List seven general questionswhich must be answeredbefore a species reintroductioneffort can begin.

• Search the Colorado Division ofWildlife’s Web site for infor-mation published in any DOWpress release dated fromJanuary 1996 until the present.

• Provide an example of onenative Colorado species thathas been reintroduced to thestate, the major reason(s) forthe decline of that species, andthe events/changes/laws thatoccurred that enabled thespecies to recover.

BackgroundMany wildlife species are

managed by humans, in hopes ofkeeping populations self-sustaining for future generations.Various measures, from settinghunting seasons, to habitatimprovement, to protection, aredesigned to control the numbers

and range of wildlife. While eachspecies management plan isunique and designed to avoidany decline of the species, fewinvolve the intense human effortand financial resources of aspecies reintroduction program.Usually, reintroduction programsare a “last resort,” designed tohalt and reverse a precipitousdrop in a species population.While reintroduction programsare used to attempt to preventextirpation or extinction ofspecies, it is important toemphasize that worldwide, 60percent of animal extinctions aredue to habitat loss. Therefore, thebest long-term strategy forspecies conservation is habitatconservation.

It is difficult to keep currenton most scientific issues, andwildlife management is noexception. By the time mosttextbooks are published, theinformation in them is alreadydated. However, timely infor-mation is often available on theInternet, through governmentagencies, universities, and othercredible scientific institutions.This activity introduces studentsto a Web site where they can findcurrent information on wildlife in


Planning The “Purrrfect” Comeback

SummaryAfter discussing factors that shape a reintroduction effort,

students retrieve archived press releases on a Web site todocument successful historic species’ reintroduction andrecovery efforts in Colorado.

Duration One or two 45-minute classperiods

VocabularyCompetition

Habitat

Home range

Limiting factor

Niche

Lesson 2

22


Lesson 2: Planning the “Purrrfect” Comeback


• Access to theInternet (from

classroom, schoolcomputer center,

local library, orhome)


for Planning The“Purrrfect”

Comeback, onephotocopy per

student

• White board orblackboard

their state. Since the lynx reintro-duction program is presentlyunderway, and there are newdevelopments in the program allthe time, activities in this modulewill employ the DOW Web site tokeep both these materials andstudents up to date.

Teaching Strategies1. Thoroughly read the studentmaterials for Planning the“Purrrfect” Comeback.

2. Give each student just thereading packet. Do not hand outthe Internet activity.

3. After giving studentssufficient time to read the packet,tell students that they are playingthe role of members of the LynxReintroduction Planning Team.

4. As a class, brainstorm a listof questions that the “LynxTeam” must answer before theycan start this effort. Use thelarger questions in the reading as a start. Some possibleresponses are:

What are the specie’scritical needs and limitingfactors?

What habitat do lynx prefer?What do lynx eat?What was the historic range

of lynx in North America and inColorado?

What other species competewith lynx for food or other habitatcomponents?

Why did lynx decline in thefirst place? Have those factorsbeen addressed?

Have any other speciesfilled the void created by themissing lynx?

What else lives where the lynxlives? What other species eat thesame prey?

Will the lynx have too muchcompetition?

What other environmentalvariables need to beconsidered?

Has/will Colorado’s droughthave an impact on lynx? Whatabout recent forest fires?

Are there suitable releasesites?

Is there enough lynx habitatleft in Colorado? How do peoplefeel about lynx? Is there a safearea to release them?

Where will we get lynx forreintroduction? How will weknow they are similar to nativelynx? Where are healthy popu-lations of lynx? How will we getthem here?

What’s our plan? How willwe monitor our reintroduction?How will we know if/whenwe’ve succeeded? What wouldbe an optimal population of lynxin Colorado? How can we tellwhen we have that many?

5. Write all suggestions in avisible place. Ask students tocopy these questions for futureuse.

6. Now distribute the Internetassignment. Depending on yourschool’s resources, havestudents complete theassignment in class, a computerlab, in their local library, or athome. Allow enough time forstudents to complete theassignment.

7. In class, ask for students tovolunteer to present informationon the nine species mentioned inthe press release. Whatcontributed to the loss or declineof the species? What has helpedthe recovery of the species intoits historic range? List thereasons for decline in a visibleplace.


Less

on 2

: Pl

anni

ng t

he “

Purr

rfec

t” C

omeb

ack

8. Point out that habitat loss was a majorfactor in decline of more than half of thespecies studied. Emphasize that worldwide,60 percent of animal extinctions are due tohabitat loss. While reintroduction efforts areimportant, it is most important over the longterm to conserve the habitat that speciesneed to survive.

AssessmentThe groups’ list of generated questions

(for a Lynx Recovery Team) serves as anassessment for this activity.

Extensions• Students can explore the U.S. Fish &

Wildlife Service Web site (http://www.fws.gov/endangered/) for additional infor-mation on recovery plans for threatened andendangered species.

• Research other rare or declining species inColorado. Develop a plan to bring aboutrecovery for one of these species. Whatmethod could be used?

Student Activity Answer KeyRocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Disease, loss of habitat.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Reintroduction.

Boreal Toad

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Unknown, research underway.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Not recovered, captivebreeding, reintroduction, and monitoringprograms are underway.

American Peregrine Falcon

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Thinning of eggs from pesticideDDT.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: National ban of DDT,captive breeding and reintroduction.

Bighorn Sheep

Boreal Toad



Greenback Cutthroat Trout

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Not mentioned in press release, butfound in “Wildlife in Danger.” Overfishing,introduction of rainbow, book, brown, andYellowstone cutthroat into their habitat, lossof habitat.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Captive breeding andrelease into suitable reintroduction sites,stream improvement.

Elk

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Unregulated market hunting.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Two decades of huntingrestrictions and importing elk fromYellowstone National Park.

Plains Sharp-tailed Grouse

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Habitat loss.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Habitat improvement—planting grasses grouse like.

Lesser Prairie Chicken

Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Loss of habitat.

Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Habitat improvement andpreservation, landowner agreements.

River Otter

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Not found in the press release.From “Wildlife in Danger”—Trapping, waterpollution, and farming.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Reintroduction.

Black-footed Ferret

• Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies: Not found in the press release.From “Wildlife in Danger”—Poisoning ofprairie dogs, disease, loss of habitat.

• Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery: Not recovered—still crit-ically endangered. Captive breeding andreintroduction is underway.

Elk River Otter


Less

on 2

: Pl

anni

ng t

he “

Purr

rfec

t” C

omeb

ack

Lesson 2

A Not Quite “Purrrfect” SolutionReintroduction can be a valuable

wildlife management tool for recoveringspecies that have become extirpated inlocal areas or even globally extinct in thewild. In part, reintroduction can becredited with saving many species fromextinction, including the California condor,black-footed ferret, peregrine falcon, andour Nation’s symbol, the bald eagle. Whilespecies reintroductions like these areimpressive, reintroduction is hardly aperfect answer to the problem ofvanishing species.

Reintroduction is a very complexstrategy that costs millions of dollars andthe time of biologists whose efforts couldbe directed elsewhere. Each reintroductiontakes so much work that the techniqueshould not be thought of as a universaltool for broad-scale preservation ofspecies. Since most endangered speciesare in trouble because their habitat hasbeen fragmented, destroyed or degraded,conserving and restoring habitat is usuallythe best way to sustain endangered plantsand animals and to prevent species listingin the first place.

Under most conditions, scientists favorconserving the habitat that supports manyspecies rather than a species by speciesapproach. When reintroduction seems tobe the best or only option, biologists do alot of homework beforehand to make surethat the reintroduction has a high proba-bility of success. Before the projectbegins, biologists have to find the answersto lots of questions.

What are the species critical needs andlimiting factors?

Each species has its own habitatrequirements—the arrangement of food,water, shelter and space suitable to itsneeds. The amount of habitat that theanimal needs or travels over in thecourse of its daily activities—its homerange—may depend on its socialbehavior and whether it is solitary ortravels in groups. Is there enough habitatleft to support a breeding population?

Limiting factors are components ofthe environment that keep an animalfrom surviving or reproducing, likediseases or predators or lack of food.Are limiting factors so severe that therewould be more animals dying thansurviving if they were reintroduced?

Why did the species decline in the firstplace?

To be sure the reintroduction issuccessful, biologists must make surethat the main cause(s) of the originalextirpation are gone. What caused thedemise of the population? Disease?Unregulated over-hunting? Over-collection? Pollution? Poisoning? Toomuch competition (demand for limitedresources)? Predation by introduced ornative species? Habitat loss? Adverseeffect of an earlier managementprogram? Conflict with human activity?Have there been changes in the originalevents or new regulations that will nowallow the species to recover?

Student Pages

Planning the “Purrrfect” Comeback



Have any other species filled the voidcreated by the extirpated species?

Every animal has its own niche—itsrole or function in an ecologicalcommunity. Sometimes when a speciesis eliminated from an area, there is nospecies to take that role and there aredramatic changes in the habitat. Forexample, a golden eagle is a predatorthat hunts rodents. If all the goldeneagles were extirpated from an area andno other species took its place, rodentpopulations may grow so large that theyeat all the vegetation. On the other hand,other species that eat rodents, such ashawks and snakes, may come in and fillthis niche. If many other species filledthis role, there might be too muchcompetition for a successful reintro-duction of golden eagles.

What other environmental variablesneed to be considered?

Is climate a factor? Is there anongoing drought that reduces the foodsupply? Are there highways criss-crossing an area where a reintroductionis being considered? Are invasivespecies that were not historically in thearea a threat?

Are there suitable release sites?

Is there suitable habitat within thehistoric range of the species? Is this areaof sufficient size that the species can besustained for the foreseeable future?How do people living near the potentialrelease site feel about this proposal?

Is there a suitable source and avail-ability of animals for reintroduction?

The individuals that are gathered forreintroduction should be geneticallysimilar to the native animals and

respond to the environment in similarways. Also, it is important that removingindividuals from the source populationdoesn’t endanger that population. If thesource population is captive bred, thenthe animals must have enough expe-rience to survive in the wild and not beso confident in the presence of humansthat they pose a danger. Once thesource animals are found, they need tobe screened for contagious pathogensand parasites, and there has to be atransportation plan to get them to therelease site.

Do we know what we want toaccomplish and have a plan to monitorour success?

Most reintroduction efforts are exper-imental. The reintroduction team firstchooses indicators of success (i.e.optimal population level) or failure anddecides what events would cause themto end the reintroduction program. Thenthey carefully plan their initial releasestrategy (e.g. timing, acclimatization ofrelease animals, group composition andnumber, release pattern and technique,etc.), and design a monitoring programto track everything. Finally, the teamdevelops education and public relationsprograms to inform and sometimesinvolve the public in the effort.

Successful Reintroductions—More thanGood Science

Ultimately, decision makers needmore than the best scientific input todecide whether to reintroduce a species.They need to know that there is long-term financial and political support, thatthere is full involvement and permissionof all relevant government agencies, andthat the legal requirements of both theEndangered Species Act and Coloradostatutes have been met. They must also


Less

on 2

: Pl

anni

ng t

he “

Purr

rfec

t” C

omeb

ack

attempt to address the concerns of localcitizens, identify any risks to human lifeand property, and identify ways tominimize these risks. Finally, they mustmake sure that the species will haveminimal threat from human activities.

Lynx Reintroduction Team Planning Questions

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________



Planning the “Purrrfect”Comeback for Lynx

When undertaking a task as difficult asreintroducing lynx back into historichabitat, it pays to have experience. TheColorado Division of Wildlife has hadplenty! The lynx reintroduction followsmany successful efforts at restoringColorado’s native species. Informationabout these reintroductions can be foundon the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s Website.

This activity will require you to accessDOW’s Web site to answer a few brief

questions. The Colorado Division ofWildlife is YOUR state agency, conservingYOUR wildlife. It only makes sense thatYOU know how to get information aboutYOUR wildlife whenever you want. So,after you have answered the questions,feel free to explore the rest of the site tosee what it has to offer.

To access the site, you can either typein the Web address: http://wildlife.state.co.us or you can type ColoradoDivision of Wildlife in the search box onyour screen. Once you are at the Web site,you will notice a row just below theagency banner that looks like this:

Click on “News & Media.” You will thensee a column on the left hand side withthe following choices:

Now, click on “Press Releases.”


Less

on 2

: Pl

anni

ng t

he “

Purr

rfec

t” C

omeb

ack

This is what you will see:

Fill in the information as shown here andclick on the “GO” button.



Click on the press release titled: LYNXPART OF LONG LINE OF REINTRO-DUCTIONS BY DIVISION and read it.

Then, choose just one of the species thatis talked about in the press release andanswer the following questions about thatspecies. If you cannot find all your infor-mation on your species in the pressrelease, you can click on “WildlifeSpecies” on the row menu beneath thebanner, and then on “Species of Concern”on the left side. Then click on the “Wildlifein Danger” publication.

Species Name:

______________________________________

Major reason(s) for the decline of thisspecies:

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Events/changes/laws that occurred toenable recovery:

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

That’s it! Pretty easy!

So much for history, there’s a cat tobring back. Let’s get started. As scientiststrying to reintroduce lynx into Colorado,you’ve generated some questions toanswer; questions that you can answerover the next week or so as you completeeach lesson.


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat

Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:

• Map and describe the historicdistribution of Canada lynx inthe western United States.

• Interpret three graphs toanalyze the distribution of plantcover types and lynx inMontana, Wyoming andColorado.

• Convert a metric measurementinto an English measurement.

BackgroundThe climate of any physical

environment determines whatorganisms live there. Life ismostly dependent on twoclimatic elements—temperatureand moisture. Most organismsare adapted to live within aparticular range of these twofactors. Plants only grow insuitable climates. The animalsthat depend on those plants—either directly (herbivores) or indi-rectly (carnivores)—are found inthose same climates. On Earth,similar biological communities

occur in different areas, but eachof these areas has similar climateand geography. This activity isdesigned to demonstrate thatlynx prefer coniferous forests ashabitat, and that these forestsoccur in similar climates.

Teaching Strategies1. Thoroughly read the studentmaterials for Map That Cat.

2. As a review of the previousactivity, ask students how theymight find out which habitat lynxprefer in Colorado and wherethey previously lived in the state.Someone should suggest lookingat historical information.

3. Tell students that you havehistoric information gatheredfrom written accounts andtrapping records for the westernUnited States. They will need tomap the information.

4. Divide the class into groupsof four to six. Give each groupstate maps and the corre-sponding Lynx Sightings by Statecharts.


Map That Cat

SummaryStudents map the geographic distribution of lynx in North

America based on historic lynx occurrences to gain importantinsights into the connection between coniferous forests andlynx occurrence in North America.


VocabularyCover type

Lesson 3

32




• State maps andcorresponding Lynx

Records 1842 to1998 for each of

these states:Colorado, Utah,

Wyoming, Montana,Idaho, and

Washington, onephotocopy per

group of students

• Student Page Lynx Sightings in

Montana, Wyoming,and Colorado, one

photocopy pergroup of students

• Overhead projector

• Acetate transparency: Map of Lynx

Sightings,1842–1998

• Acetate transparency:

Spruce/Fir Forests in theConterminousUnited States

• Optional:Classroom biology

texts illustratingearth’s biomes and

the relationshipbetween climate

and latitude/elevation.

5. Using the chart information,students should draw a small dot(about 1⁄8” in diameter) in thecorrect county on each statemap for every lynx occurrence.Dots may overlap. (Note:students may ask why theColorado map and information isdifferent from the informationprovided in Lesson 1—that therewere only 18 authenticatedrecords of lynx in the state. Tellthem that the information inLesson 1 included only actualspecimens that were trapped,and no written records. Thisinformation includes writtenentries in journals and otherdocuments that could not beverified. However, for this activity,including written records isuseful.)

6. After each group hascompleted their maps, askstudents to assemble all themaps by taping them together.Hang the maps in a very visibleclassroom location.IMPORTANT: These maps arealso needed for Lesson 6, No CatIs An Island. Please leave themaps posted.

7. Place the acetate of the mapentitled Map of Lynx Sightings,1842–1998 on an overheadprojector. Ask students tocompare this map to the mapsthey created. They should noticethat the points for the westernUnited States are identical, butthis map includes lynx sightingsin other geographic locations: theLake States, and Northeast.

8. Now place the acetate of themap entitled Spruce/Fir Forestsin the Conterminous UnitedStates on the overhead projector.

9. Point out that there seem tobe spruce/fir forests in manyareas of the United States.Explain that the forests in eachregion are not identical. In thewestern states, the species oftrees include mostly Englemannspruce and subalpine fir, thesame trees that are found inBritish Columbia and Alberta,Canada. In the NortheasternUnited States and Quebec,Canada, red spruce, blackspruce, and balsam fir are thedominant tree species. In theGreat Smoky Mountains and thesouthern Appalachian Mountains,red spruce and Fraser fir are thedominant species. Emphasizethat he type of vegetation thatcan grow in an area depends onclimate, especially temperatureand moisture. Describe forstudents how temperature andmoisture decrease as latitude(distance from the equator)increases. They also decrease aselevation (height above sea level)increases. In general, everydegree of latitude traveling north(or south) of the equator is theequivalent of moving 360 feethigher in elevation at the equator.As a result, mountains oftenshow the same sequence ofchange in ecosystems that isfound as one goes north or southfrom the equator. You wouldexpect to find many of the sameenvironmental conditions inColorado’s high mountains as in lower elevations of northernMontana, and therefore, similartree species. Since highelevations in the SoutheasternU.S. have the same climate as inMaine or Quebec, Canada, manyof the tree species are the same.Optional: If students’ biologytextbooks illustrate this concept,you may want to direct them tothose illustrations.


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat

10. Now place the Map of Lynx Sightings,1842–1998 on top of the Spruce/Fir Forests inthe Conterminous United States map. Pointout that lynx are usually seen in spruce/firforests.

11. Now hand out the student page entitledLynx Sightings in Montana, Wyoming, andColorado. Ask students to look at the graphsand answer each question.

12. Ask students, “What general statementcan you make regarding lynx sightings in theRocky Mountains related to elevation”? Lynxsightings have been primarily in areas of highelevation. The farther south in the RockyMountains, the higher the elevation.

AssessmentBy researching the plant cover type of any

location in North America (U.S. or Canada),students should be able to state whether lynxhabitat exists in that location.

Extensions• Students could map historic worldwide

distribution of lynx.

Student Activity Answer Keys1. Which state is farthest north? Montana.

2. Approximately what percentage ofMontana’s landscape is 2,000 meters inelevation or less? 88 percent (Note:Students can figure this out by drawing ahorizontal line from the top of each areabar representing 2,000 meters or less tothe Percent axis of the graph and addingthose numbers together.)

3. Approximately what percentage ofWyoming’s landscape is 2,000 meters inelevation or less? 49 percent

4. Approximately what percentage ofColorado’s landscape is 2,000 meters inelevation or less? 48 percent

5. How high in feet is 2,000 meters? 6,560feet (meters x 3.28 = feet)

6. Looking just at lynx sightings; are lynxfound at higher elevations in Montana,Wyoming, or Colorado? Colorado

7. Would the plant cover type (type of plantsfound at that location) be the same at 2,500meters elevation in each state? No. Why orwhy not? The type of vegetation that cangrow in an area depends on climate.Temperature and moisture decrease aslatitude (distance from the equator)increases. They also decrease as elevation(height about sea level) increases. Youwould expect to find many of the sameenvironmental conditions in Colorado’shigh mountains as in lower elevations ofnorthern Montana.

8. What forest type is probably representedat the elevations where lynx sightings occur ineach state? Spruce/Fir forests.

Subalpine Fir



Map of Lynx Sightings, 1842–1998


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat



Spruce/Fir Forests in theConterminous United States


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat



Colorado Counties

Moffat

Routt

Jackson Larimer

ClearCreek

Summit

Denver

Adams

Arapahoe

Morgan

Phillips

SedgwickLoganWeld

Boulder

Gilpin Washington

YumaRio Blanco

Garfield Eagle

Grand

Mesa

Delta

Gunnison

Pitkin Lake

Chaffee

ParkDouglas

Elbert

Teller

Jeffe

rson

El Paso

Fremont

Saguache CusterPueblo

RioGrande

AlamosaHuerfano

Montrose

San Miguel

Dolores

MontezumaLa Plata

SanJuan

Ouray

Hinsdale

Mineral

Archuleta ConejosCostilla

Las Animas

Otero

Crowley

Bent Prowers

Kiowa

Baca

Kit Carson

Cheyenne

Lincoln

Broomfield


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat

Utah Counties

Cache

Box ElderRich

Weber

MorganDavis

Summit

Tooele

SaltLake

Wasatch

Utah

Juab

Millard

Sanpete

Duchesne

Carbon

Emery

Sevier

Beaver Piute Wayne

Iron Garfield

Washington Kane

Daggett

Uintah

Grand

San Juan



Wyoming Counties

Teton

Park Big Horn

Sheridan

Johnson

Campbell

Crook

Weston

Hot Springs

Washakie

Natrona Converse Niobrara

Sublette

Fremont

Lincoln

Uinta

SweetwaterCarbon

Albany

Platte Goshen

Laramie


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat

Montana Counties

Valley

Daniels Sheridan

Roosevelt

Richland

McCone

Dawson

Prairie Wiba

ux

Fallon

Garfield

Phillips

Petroleum

Custer

CarterPowderRiver

Rosebud

Treasure

Big Horn

Musselshell

FergusJudithBasin

Wheatland

SweetGrass Still-

waterYellowstone

Carbon

Park

Blaine

Hill

Chouteau

Liber

tyToole

Pondera

Teton

Cascade

MeagherGoldenValley

Gallatin

Broad-water

Madison

Jefferson

Lincoln

Flathead

Glacier

LakeSanders

Missoula

Lewisand

Clark

Mineral

Ravalli

GranitePowell

Deer Lod

ge

SilverBow

Beaverhead



Idaho Counties

Boun

dary

Bonn

er

Koot

enai

Bene

wah

Shos

hone

Lata

h

Nez P

erce Le

wis

Clear

water

Idah

o

Adam

s

Valle

y

Lemh

i

Custe

r

Wash

ingto

n

Paye

tteGe

mBo

ise

Cany

on

Ada

Elmor

eCa

mas

Blain

e

Good

ingLin

coln

Jero

me

Owyh

ee

Twin

Falls

Cassi

a

Minidoka

Butte

Clark

Frem

ont

Jeffe

rson

Madis

onTe

ton

Bonn

ieville

Bing

ham

Carib

ou

Powe

rBa

nnoc

k

Oneid

aFr

ankli

nBe

ar La

ke


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat

Washington Counties

Okanogan FerryStevens

PendOreille

SpokaneLincolnDouglas

Grant

Adams Whitman

Garfield

AsotinColumbia

WallaWalla

Franklin

Benton

Chelan

Kittitas

Yakima

Whatcom

Skagit

Snohomish

King

Pierce

Lewis

Kuckitat

Skamania

Clark

CowlitzWahkiakum

Pacific

Thurston

Grays Harbor

Mason

KitsapJefferson

Clallam

SanJuan

Island



Lynx Sightings by State

County Number of Lynx Sightings, 1842–1998

Archuleta 3

Boulder 3

Chaffee 5

Clear Creek 5

Conejos 3

Costilla 1

Custer 2

Delta 1

Douglas 3

Eagle 48

El Paso 1

Garfield 5

Grand 8

Gunnison 10

Hinsdale 1

Huerfano 1

Jackson 4

Laplata 4

Lake 3

Larimer 7

Mesa 2

Moffat 2

Montezuma 4

Montrose 2

Park 11

Pitkin 21

Rio Blanco 9

Rio Grande 1

Routt 12

Saguache 1

San Juan 2

Summit 14

Teller 1

TOTAL 200

COLORADO


Cache 1

Daggett 3

Duchesne 5

Emery 1

Morgan 1

Summit 15

Uintah 9

Wasatch 10

TOTAL 45

UTAH


Albany 3

Big Horn 2

Carbon 10

Converse 5

Crook 3

Fremont 41

Johnson 8

Laramie 1

Lincoln 57

Natrona 1

Niobrara 1

Park 39

Platte 1

Sheridan 4

Sublette 83

Sweetwater 3

Teton 70

Uinta 3

Weston 2

TOTAL 337

WYOMING


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat



Beaverhead 97

Blaine 1

Broadwater 1

Carbon 2

Cascade 6

Chouteau 2

Daniels 1

Dawson 1

Deer Lodge 32

Fergus 32

Flathead 255

Gallatin 20

Garfield 1

Glacier 68

Granite 38

Jefferson 11

Judith Basin 2

Lake 16

Lewis And Clark 134

Liberty 1

Lincoln 236

Madison 7

Meagher 8

Mineral 22

Missoula 242

Musselshell 2

Park 16

Phillips 1

Pondera 18

Powell 126

Ravalli 38

Roosevelt 1

Sanders 14

Silver Bow 14

Stillwater 2

Sweet Grass 2

MONTANA


Teton 108

Wheatland 1

Yellowstone 2

TOTAL 1,581

MONTANA (continued)


Bear Lake 4

Benewah 1

Blaine 7

Boise 1

Bonner 22

Bonneville 3

Boundary 5

Butte 1

Camas 2

Caribou 4

Clark 8

Clearwater 9

Custer 56

Elmore 3

Fremont 21

Idaho 41

Jerome 1

Kootenai 3

Latah 4

Lemhi 44

Nez Perce 1

Oneida 1

Power 1

Shoshone 17

Teton 4

Twin Falls 2

Valley 5

TOTAL 271

IDAHO





Chelan 64

Columbia 1

Douglas 5

Ferry 55

Garfield 2

Jefferson 1

King 4

Kittitas 1

Okanogan 501

Pend Oreille 91

WASHINGTON

Pierce 1

Skagit 2

Skamania 10

Snohomish 1

Spokane 2

Stevens 24

Whatcom 4

Whitman 3

Yakima 11

TOTAL 783


Less

on 3

: M

ap T

hat

Cat

Lesson 3

Dr. McKelvey analyzed lynx sightingrecords by county for Montana, Wyomingand Colorado and graphed both thepercentage of elevation types (area)found in the counties and the percentageof lynx sightings (points) at each of theelevations.

1. Which state is farthest north?

____________________________________

2. Approximately what percentage ofMontana’s landscape is 2,000 meters inelevation or less?

____________________________________

3. Approximately what percentage ofWyoming’s landscape is 2,000 meters inelevation or less?

____________________________________

4. Approximately what percentage ofColorado’s landscape is 2,000 meters inelevation or less?

____________________________________

5. How high in feet is 2,000 meters?

____________________________________

6. Looking just at lynx sightings; arelynx found at higher elevations inMontana, Wyoming, or Colorado?

____________________________________

7. Would the plant cover type (type ofplants found at that location) be thesame at 2,500 meters elevation in eachstate? Why or why not?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. What forest type is probably repre-sented at the elevations where lynxsightings occur in each state?

____________________________________

Student Page

Lynx Sightings in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado

From Ecology and Conversation of Lynx in the United States. Used with thepermission of Dr. Kevin S. McKelvey



Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s


• Calculate the foot loading ratiosof ten wildlife species in Englishor metric units.

• Describe how foot loadingaffects the amount of energy ananimal must exert to move insnow.

• Infer the impact of low or highsnow pack on lynx survival.

BackgroundThe Canada Lynx is uniquely

adapted to live in the extremelysnowy environment of Colorado’shigh altitude coniferous forests. Alynx is about as big as amedium-sized dog. Its long legs,light body, and sizable feetreduce its foot loading, the ratiothat could be called a “sink in thesnow coefficient.” This enablesthe lynx to move quickly andeasily over deep snow that mightbe an obstacle to otherpredators.

Teaching Strategies1. Thoroughly read the studentactivity for Built-in Snowshoes.

2. Optional: If you have a large,flat piece of Styrofoam, you canopen this activity by setting upthe following scenario forstudents: Ask them to imaginethat the floor was tiled with thisStyrofoam. Would it be easier towalk across the floor in ladiesspike heels or flat soled shoes?Why? Would that be true even ifthe persons wearing the shoeswere the same height andweight? Now ask them toimagine that the classroom floorwas covered with four feet ofsnow and continue with the nextstep.

3. Begin by discussing thedifficulty of moving in deep snow.Ask students:

Have you ever tried to walk indeep snow?

Have you ever tried to chasea friend while playing in deepsnow?

Discuss how running—andeven walking—in deep snow isvery tiring and burns up a lot of


Built-in Snowshoes

SummaryStudents measure snow tracks of various wildlife species

and calculate foot loading—they divide the weight of theanimal by the total surface area of its feet. They use thesecalculations to discuss wildlife adaptations for moving indeep snow and discuss implications for interspecies compe-tition and lynx management.

Lesson 4

Duration Two 45-minute class periods

VocabularyAdaptation

Boreal

Foot loading

Mesocarnivore

Subalpine forest


Lesson 4: Built-in Snowshoes

energy (calories) in a short periodof time.

Ask students to brainstormhow moving around in deepsnow can be made easier. Theymay think of several possibilities,which may include:

• Having snowshoes or skis; • Being lighter;• Being taller and having

longer legs.Discuss why each of these

would make it easier to movearound in snow and ask studentsto give an example from personalexperiences.

4. Explain that wild animals alsohave difficulty moving about indeep snow. They burn up a lot ofcalories, too. If animals burnmore calories than theyconsume, they may not survive.Ask students to think aboutanimals that have adaptationsthat make it easier to movethrough snow. Ask them to listexamples of animals that employsome of the same strategies theylisted for humans. These mayinclude:

• Snowshoe hares have bigfeet that enable them tomove on top of snow;

• Moose have long legs andcan wade through fairlydeep snow;

• Ptarmigan are light enoughto move on top of snow.

5. Talk about using snowshoesagain. Explain that usingsnowshoes reduces a person’sfoot loading. Foot loading ratiosare an approximation of thepressure a walking animal placeson snow, and as a result, theanimal’s sinking depth. Thedeeper an animal sinks, the moreenergy it must expend to movethrough the snow.

6. Explain that students will beexamining and comparing footloading ratios of various wildlifespecies. They will use this infor-mation to learn more about theecology of the lynx and someimplications for the lynx reintro-duction program in Colorado.Optional: You may also want toplace the pelts from the LynxLoan Box out so students canexamine the feet of the animalsthey will be comparing.

7. Hand out the studentreadings and materials. Askstudents to read the backgroundinformation and notify you whenthey are ready to begin calcu-lating foot loading ratios.

8. Demonstrate how to trace afoot print. Trace a line around thepad of the foot, but do notinclude claws. Look at theseexamples for the red squirrel andthe pine marten:


• Student packet:Built-in Snowshoes

• Graph paper(Optional:

photocopy acetateoverlays of graph

paper grid for easiertracing)

• Calculators

• Optional: Large,flat piece of

Styrofoam, aboutthe length and

height of a floor tile,and about 1–2”

thick; a ladies spikeheeled shoe, and a

flat soled shoe.

• Optional props: Apair of snowshoes

and/or a pair of skis

• Optional: ObtainLynx Loan Box from

your local DOWRegional Office

Red Squirrel

Hind

Pine Marten

Front


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s9. Check that students understand theexample for estimating the area of a footprint.Make sure that students have properlycalculated the scale of their graph paper,which may be different than the exampleshown.

10. To save time and to avoid frustrating thestudents, have each student calculate the footloading for just one animal. Randomly assigna species to each student. Since there willprobably be more than one student calcu-lating the ratio for each species, they shouldbe able to compare their answers. If studentshave wildly different answers for a species,they can work through the calculations againto find ratios they can agree on.

11. Compile the ratios in a visible place. Askstudents to complete their Foot Loadingtables before answering the questions.

12. Discuss answers to the questions.

AssessmentHave students determine their own foot

loading ratios with and without snowshoes or skis.

Extensions• Investigate a Colorado Precipitation Map for

areas of highest snowfall or investigatesnow monitoring stations—SNOTEL sites(for SNOwpack TELemetry). The NaturalResources Conservation Service (NRCS)installs, operates, and maintains thisextensive, automated system to collectsnowpack and related climatic data in theWestern United States. The system evolvedfrom NRCS’s Congressional mandate in themid-1930’s “to measure snowpack in themountains of the West and forecast thewater supply.” SNOTEL sites can be locatedat this Web site: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/factpub/sntlfct1.html.

• Examine real tracks in snow.

• Compare the sinking depth of an area ofuntrammeled snow to an area of packedsnow (like a ski trail or snowmobile trail).

Red Squirrel

Pine Marten



Wildlife Species Foot Loading lbs/in2

Total Surface Area of Feet (in2)

Hind Feet SurfaceArea (area of one

foot in in2) x 2

Front Feet SurfaceArea (area of one

foot in in2) x 2Weight (lbs)

Snowshoe Hare 3 1.80 x 2 = 3.6 12.8 x 2 = 24.16 27.76 0.11

Pine Marten 1.5 3.12 x 2 = 6.24 3.24 x 2 = 6.48 12.72 0.12

Red Squirrel 0.5 0.56 x 2 = 1.12 0.88 x 2 = 1.76 2.88 0.17

Eastern Cottontail 1 0.80 x 2 = 1.60 2.16 x 2 = 4.32 5.92 0.17

Lynx 22 11.92 x 2 = 23.84 11.64 x 2 = 23.28 47.12 0.47

Wolverine 35 9.52 x 2 = 19.04 10.4 x 2 = 20.8 39.84 0.88

Red Fox 10.5 2.72 x 2 = 5.44 2.32 x 2 = 4.64 10.08 1.04

Bobcat 17 3.12 x 2 = 6.24 3.04 x 2 = 6.08 12.32 1.38

Coyote 23 4.36 x 2 = 8.72 3.28 x 2 = 6.56 15.28 1.51

Mountain Lion 145 9.72 x 2 = 19.44 6.80 x 2 = 13.6 33.04 4.39

FOOT LOADING FOR VARIOUS WILDLIFE SPECIES (English Measurements)

Student Activity Answer Keys


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s

Wildlife Species Foot Loading (g/cm2)

Total Surface Area of Feet (cm2)

Hind Feet SurfaceArea (area of one foot in cm2) x 2

Front Feet SurfaceArea (area of one foot in cm2) x 2

Weight (in grams)

Snowshoe Hare 1,400 11.61 x 2 = 23.22 77.94 x 2 = 155.88 179.1 7.82

Pine Marten 750 20.13 x 2 = 40.26 20.90 x 2 = 41.8 82.06 9.14

Red Squirrel 225 3.61 x 2 = 7.22 5.68 x 2 = 11.36 18.58 12.11

Eastern Cottontail 500 5.16 x 2 = 10.32 13.94 x 2 = 27.88 38.2 13.09

Lynx 10,000 76.90 x 2 = 153.8 75.10 x 2 = 150.2 304 32.89

Wolverine 16,000 61.42 x 2 = 122.84 67.1 x 2 = 134.2 257.04 62.25

Red Fox 5,000 17.55 x 2 = 35.10 14.97 x 2 = 29.94 65.04 76.88

Bobcat 8,000 20.13 x 2 = 40.26 19.61 x 2 = 39.22 79.48 100.65

Coyote 10,000 28.13 x 2 = 56.26 21.16 x 2 = 42.32 98.58 101.44

Mountain Lion 66,000 62.71 x 2 = 125.42 43.87 x 2 = 87.74 213.16 309.63

FOOT LOADING FOR VARIOUS WILDLIFE SPECIES (Metric Measurements)

Student Activity Answer Keys (cont.)



1. What does 1.5 lbs/in2 as a measure of footloading actually mean? A foot loading ratioof 1.5 lbs/in2 means that every square inchof the animal’s sole supports 1.5 pounds ofbody weight. The higher the number, themore pounds of body weight each squareinch supports—and the more the animalwill sink into the snow.

2. The bobcat and the lynx have nearly thesame average body weight, yet the lynx has amuch lower foot loading ratio. Why? Howmight that influence the use of Coloradohabitats by these two cat species? The lynxhas a much lower foot loading ratiobecause the surface area of its feet is solarge (47.12 in2). The surface area of thebobcats’ feet is much smaller. Duringwinter months the lynx would have agreater advantage in moving through thedeep snow, while the bobcat would sink indeeper and expend more energy movingaround and probably could not catch theirprey. Rather than starve, bobcats typicallylive in drier habitats than lynx, at leastduring the winter months.

3. The eastern cottontail rabbit’s foot loadingratio is not as low as the snowshoe hare, butit is lower than the lynx. Why doesn’t theeastern cottontail rabbit live in the subalpineforest? Species have many requirementsand many adaptations. The easterncottontail does not have thick enough furand also cannot find the food it eats in thesubalpine forest.

4. The red fox weighs half that of a lynx, yet,its foot loading ratio is more than two timesgreater than the lynx. Why? The red fox hasvery small feet, so despite its light weight,its foot loading is high.

5. All of the predators listed would love toeat a snowshoe hare for a winter’s meal, butonly one likely will. Why? Most of thepredators listed have such high footloading ratios that they would likely expendtoo many calories moving through thedeep snow to justify hunting a snowshoehare. So, they avoid the very highmountain areas of Colorado in the winter.Only the lynx is uniquely adapted for thisenvironment. The pine marten weighs quitea bit less than a snowshoe hare, so is morelikely to prey on small rodents.

6. Roads have expanded dramatically in thehigh mountains during the last few decades.Would roads help or harm the competitiveadvantage that the lynx have compared toother predators in these areas? Explain.Roads make these areas more accessibleto other predators. The competitiveadvantage of the lynx is reduced.

7. Would a long-term drought help or harmthe competitive advantage that lynx have inthe high forests? Explain. Drought reducessnow fall, so less snow means morepredators have access to the forests. Thecompetitive advantage of lynx is reduced.

Coyote

Lesson 4

Colorado’s subalpine forests arefound in very high-mountain environmentswith elevations over 9,000 feet. Theseforests contain most of the same treespecies found in Canada’s boreal forests.During the brief summer months,subalpine forests are pleasant places tobe. Maybe you have enjoyed summercamping or hiking in these areas andviewing the various wildlife species thatalso frequent these forests in the summer.Perhaps you’ve seen elk grazing in a highmeadow. Maybe your canine hikingpartner has picked up the scent of a hareand tugged hard on the leash. Certainly,you’ve enjoyed the antics of campgroundchipmunks. There are predators nearby,though you may not have noticed them:owls, coyotes, fox, cougar, bobcat andmaybe even lynx.

As winter approaches, these highmountain forests become a harsh envi-ronment with fierce, icy winds and heavysnowfall. Additional snow is blown downfrom the alpine and trapped by the narrow,densely packed trees, often forming snowdepths of more than five feet. Most peopleand wild animals avoid these highmountain areas during the long wintermonths. Elk migrate down to lower valleybottoms, chipmunks hibernate, and manyof the predators move to less extremeenvironments.

The lynx and its primary prey—thesnowshoe hare—are among the fewanimals that are active, year-roundresidents of subalpine forests. Living herein winter—where it is extremely cold and

snow cover is an obstacle to movement—requires some unique adaptations.Adaptations are anatomical, physio-logical, or behavioral changes thatimprove a population’s ability to survive.

Lynx, like other animals that stay insubalpine forests year-round, have specialadaptations to move through or oversnow. Like coyotes, bobcats, and foxes,lynx are mesocarnivores—mid-sizedcarnivores. They aren’t as heavy as largercarnivores like mountain lions or bearsand will not sink into deep snow as easily.Lynx also have unusually long legscompared to other members of the catfamily. These long legs are an advantagein the deep snow. But the most distinctiveadaptation is the lynx’s unusually largefeet. This activity focuses on the bodyweight to foot-surface ratio, called footloading, of the lynx and several othermammals found in Colorado’s highmountains. The foot loading ratio is anapproximation of the pressure a walkinganimal places on snow, and as a result,the animal’s sinking depth. The deeper ananimal sinks, the more energy it mustexpend to move through the snow. If ananimal expends too muchenergy—the calories itgets from food—itmay starve.

Student Pages

Built-in Snowshoes


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s

Mountain Lion



Determine the Foot Loadings ofSome Colorado Wildlife.A. These are the body weights of tenmammals commonly found in Colorado’ssubalpine forests.

Body weights are average weights listed in Scats andTracks of the Rocky Mountains, by James C. Halfpenny.©1998 by Falcon Publishing, Inc., Helena, Montana.

B. The following pages containthe snow tracks, to scale, of eachof these species. Track illus-trations are based on minimumoutline measurements listed inScats and Tracks of the RockyMountains, by James C. Halfpenny.©1998 by Falcon Publishing, Inc.,Helena, Montana.

Wildlife Species

Body Weight (grams)

Body Weight (pounds)

Snowshoe Hare 1,400 3

Pine Marten 750 1.5

Red Squirrel 225 0.5

Eastern Cottontail 500 1

Lynx 10,000 22

Wolverine 16,000 35

Red Fox 5,000 10.5

Bobcat 8,000 17

Coyote 10,000 23

Mountain Lion 66,000 145

Front

Snowshoe Hare

Hind


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s

Red Squirrel Front

Hind

Pine Marten

Front

Hind

Eastern Cottontail

Front

Hind



Lynx

Front Hind


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s

Red Fox

Front

Wolverine

Front

Hind



Hind

Bobcat

Hind

Coyote

Front

Hind

Front

C. Use the snow track illustrationsprovided to determine the surface area ofeach species’ feet.

1. Get a piece of graph paper. Checkthe scale of the graph paper bymeasuring how many squares arefound in one square inch or onesquare centimeter. In our example,there are 16 squares found in 1square inch, so our scale is 1square =1⁄16 in2 = 0.06 in2.

2. Lay the graph paper over the trackillustrations provided. Trace thetrack (do not include the claws) andcount the number of squares(estimate partial squares) todetermine the surface area. Be sureto do this for the front foot andhind foot.


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s

Mountain Lion

Front

Hind



3. Multiply the measurement of thefront foot by two, to determine thetotal surface area for both front feet.Then multiply the measurement ofthe hind foot by two. Add the totalfor the front feet and the hind feettogether to get the total surfacearea of all four feet. Here is anexample of how to do this:

Hind Track

Front Track

Scale = each square is 1⁄16 in2

1 2

9 10 11 12 13 14

3

42 43 44 45 46 47 48

4 5 6 7 8

15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31 32 33 34

35 36 37 38 39 40 41

49 50 51 52 53 54 55

56 57 58 59 60 61

62 63 64 65 66 67

68 69 70 71 72

73 74 75

77

76

1 2 3

28

4 5 6

7 8 9

11 12 13

14 15 16

17 18 19

20 21 2223 24 25

10

27

26

Hind Track is approximately 77squares (author’s estimate), so 77 squares x 0.06 squares per inch = 4.62 in2

Front Track is approximately 28squares (author’s estimate), so 28 squares x 0.06 squares per inch = 1.68 in2

Total surface area of tracks = 4.62 in2 x 2 = 9.24 in2

1.68 in2 x 2 = 3.36 in2

12.60 in2

D. To determine the foot loading ratio foreach species, divide the average weightby the surface area of all four feet. For ourexample, we’ll pretend our animal weighs20 lbs. You can do the same calculations

using metric units (grams of weight ormass, and centimeters of surface area).

So, for our example: 20 lbs/12.6 inch2 = 1.59 lbs/inch2

E. Complete this chart.


Less

on 4

: Bu

ilt-

in S

now

shoe

s

Snowshoe Hare

Pine Marten

Red Squirrel

Eastern Cottontail

Lynx

Wolverine

Red Fox

Bobcat

Coyote

Mountain Lion

Wildlife Species Weight (in g or lbs)

Front Feet SurfaceArea (measurementof one foot in cm2

or in2) x 2

Hind Feet SurfaceArea (measurementof one foot in cm2

or in2) x 2

Total Surface Area of Feet

(in cm2 or in2)

Foot Loading in g/cm2 or lbs/in2

FOOT LOADING FOR VARIOUS WILDLIFE SPECIES

F. Construct a bargraph arrangingthe foot loadingratios from least togreatest.



G. Discuss your results.

1. What does 1.5 lbs/in2 as a measure offoot loading actually mean?

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

2. The bobcat and the lynx have nearlythe same average body weight, yet thelynx has a much lower foot loading ratio.Why? How might that influence the use ofColorado habitats by these two catspecies?

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

3. The eastern cottontail rabbit’s footloading ratio is not as low as that of thesnowshoe hare, but it is lower than thelynx. Why doesn’t the eastern cottontailrabbit live in the subalpine forest?

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

4. The red fox weighs half that of a lynx,yet, its foot loading ratio is more than twotimes greater than the lynx. Why?

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

5. All of the predators listed would love toeat a snowshoe hare for a winter’s meal,but only one likely will. Why?

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

6. Roads have expanded dramatically inthe high mountains during the last fewdecades. Would roads help or harm thecompetitive advantage that the lynx havecompared to other predators in theseareas? Explain.

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

7. Would a long-term drought help orharm the competitive advantage that lynxhave in the high forests? Explain.

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Wolverine


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w

Learning ObjectivesAfter completing this activity,students will be able to:

• Write a testable scientificquestion based on a givenscenario.

• Write a hypothesis that mayexplain population phenomena.

• Communicate scientific obser-vations verbally, graphically,and in writing.

• Examine scientific data todescribe and predict the inter-actions of populations andecosystems.

• Design and defend a writtenplan for a scientific investi-gation.

BackgroundScientific inquiry can be

thought of as organized curiosityabout the physical world. Curiouspeople ask questions about whatthey see but do not understand.The search for answers to thesequestions through experiments orresearch leads to new informationand often, new questions.

Scientific questions are open-ended and cannot be answeredwith a simple “yes or no.” Broadquestions such as “Why dosnowshoe hare and lynx popu-lations cycle?” are divided intomore specific testable questionsthat can be answered throughresearch or experimentation. “Dosnowshoe hare populations crashdue to lack of food resources?”

This activity gives studentsdata and observations about lynxand snowshoe hare ecology andpopulation dynamics. After eval-uating the data or observations,student groups decide how bestto communicate that informationto their peers. Groups thengenerate questions for researchthat would explain thephenomena. Lastly, groups willpropose a hypothesis and anexperimental design that couldbe used to answer one of theresearch questions.

Teaching Strategies1. Thoroughly read the studentactivity for Hare Today, GoneTomorrow.

2. Ask students to complete thereading Hare Today, GoneTomorrow.


Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

SummaryStudent “research teams” evaluate snowshoe hare popu-

lation cycle data and propose further investigations tounderstand these cycles.


VocabularyBiotic potential

Browse

Carnivore

Carrying capacity

Control group

Controlledexperiment

Density

Dependent variable

Distribution

Emigrate

Experimental group

Forbs

Generalist

Harvest

Herbivore

Hypothesis

Immigrate

Independent variable

Leveret

Limiting factor

Model

Observation

Pelt

Population

Populationdynamics

Population model

Predator

Prey

Size

Specialist

Synchronous

Terrestrial

Lesson 5

66


Lesson 5: Hare Today, Gone Tom

orrow


• Student Pages:Hare Today, Gone

Tomorrow, onephotocopy per

student

• Student Page:What are the

Lynx-HarePopulation

Dynamics?, onephotocopy per

student

• Research Team“X”—Observations

sheet, onephotocopy per

group of studentsor one for each

student in thegroup

• Optional: Makean acetate trans-

parency of thepage: Stages of

ScientificResearch or

provide photo-copies for

students

• Optional: Butcherpaper or acetate

transparenciesand markers

3. Introduce or review thescientific process. If useful, givestudents a copy of Stages ofScientific Research. Explain thatresearch is cyclical in nature, andthat new information often leadsto new questions. The newquestions lead to newhypotheses and new investi-gations.

4. Discuss the reading and pointout the stages of the scientificprocess. First, many observationswere made about snowshoehares. These observations werecollected over time. People askedquestions about these obser-vations. Scientists madepredictions about the rela-tionships between snowshoehares and lynx. They noticed thatfurther observations did notsupport their simplepredator/prey model.

5. Discuss the graph showingthe snowshoe hare and lynx peltdata over time. Over 90 years ofdata are displayed in this graph.Ask students to imagine what itwould be like to make sense of allthe numbers if they were onlyshown in a large data table!Graphs quickly show conceptsthat would need very lengthywritten descriptions.

6. Explain that graphs take manyforms. Studentsmay be familiarwith many types ofgraphs, but mostoften, scientistsuse line graphsand bar graphs.Explain to students

that each of these graphs is usedin a particular situation:

Bar graphs are designed tomake comparisons of data. Thisdata represented in bar graphsare not necessarily dependent onany other variables. For example,bar graphs can be used tocompare the populations ofdifferent countries or the numberof people who buy certain typesof cars.

Line graphs show trends,such as how things changeover time. They are the best typeof graphs to use to show howone factor affects another factor.They are typically used toexpress the relationshipbetween independent anddependent variables. Forexample, a line graph would beused to show a baby’s increase inlength (dependent variable) overtime (independent variable).

Sometimes on line graphs,scientists show results that usedifferent scales of measurement,and need to use both y-axes todemonstrate these results. Forexample, if scientists weremeasuring both the population (in#’s) of cats in a city and thepercentage of those cats thatwere female over a ten yearperiod, the graph might look like:

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1989198819871986198519841983198219811980

Num

ber

of C

ats

Year

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Percentage of Females

# of Cats % of Females


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w7. Explain the characteristics of an effectivescientific question.

8. Explain to students that they will begetting some additional observations or dataabout lynx or snowshoe hare ecology. Thendivide the students into six research teams.

9. Give each group of students a What arethe Lynx-Hare Population Dynamics? and aResearch Team “X”—Observations sheet.

10. The first task of each student researchteam is to interpret, based on what they havealready learned, what these data/observationsmean. They will need to decide what originalquestion prompted the collection of this data.They will then decide how to present thisinformation to their peers (verbally, graphically,written) and prepare a presentation.

11. The second task for student researchteams is to determine what further questionsthe information might pose to scientists. Thestudent research team should list thesequestions, and then choose one that seemsmost interesting to them. The team shouldpose a hypothesis and then design acontrolled investigation that could supportor disprove their predictions. They will presentthis plan to their peers for critique.

12. Optional: You may want to give studentsbutcher paper or blank acetate sheets toprepare for their presentations.

13. Give student teams enough time toprepare their presentations (one class period).

14. Ask student groups to share theirknowledge with the other research teams.Each team in the audience should beencouraged (respectfully!) to makesuggestions to the presenting research team.

AssessmentStudent completion of the activity demon-

strates the ability to ask good questions, posean explanation (hypothesis) for observedphenomena and design an experiment to testa hypothesis.

Extensions• Include discussions of other population

concepts: exponential growth, S-curves, J-curves, growth rates, density-dependentfactors, and density-independent factors.

• Students search the internet for currentphase (incline or decline) of snowshoehare/lynx cycles in Canada and Alaska.

• Students examine whether lynx populationsare synchronous worldwide.

• Students could research other specieswhich exhibit cyclic population dynamics.

Student Activity Answer KeyEach research team has been given

different information and data. All teams werepresented this same set of questions:

1. What might be the original questionthat led scientists to collect this data?

2. What does it mean?

3. What is the best way to present thisinformation to the other Research Teams?

4. What new questions can be askedabout this data?

Choose one of these questions.Propose a hypothesis, and design anexperiment that would prove or disproveyour hypothesis.

This is an open-ended inquiry activity, and,in general, there is great latitude for response.For the first two questions, the responsesshould be similar to these:

Research Team A

1. What might be the original question thatled scientists to collect this data? Does lackof food or poor quality food cause thesnowshoe hare population to crash?

2. What does it mean? While there may bemore hares with supplemental food orhigher quality food, the snowshoe harepopulation still cycles.



orrowResearch Team B

1. What might be the original question thatled scientists to collect this data? Dosnowshoe hare populations cycleeverywhere? Do snowshoe hare popu-lations cycle at the same time everywhere?

2. What does it mean? Snowshoe harecycles tend to occur in near synchronyacross much of the boreal forests ofCanada.

Research Team C

1. What might be the original question thatled scientists to collect this data? Doessnowshoe hare population densityinfluence hare reproduction?

2. What does it mean? Reproduction ratesdecrease when there is a greater density ofsnowshoe hares.

Research Team D

1. What might be the original question thatled scientists to collect this data? How is thesurvival rate of snowshoe hares influencedby population density?

2. What does it mean? Adult survivaldecreases when population density is high.

Research Team E

1. What might be the original question thatled scientists to collect this data? Wouldexcluding predators keep the snowshoehare population from cycling? Wouldexcluding predators and providingsupplemental food keep thesnowshoe hare populationfrom cycling?

2. What does it mean? The snowshoe hare populations still cycled even whenpredators were excluded. The areas thathad also been given supplemental foodhad more hares, but even those hare populations cycled.

Research Team F

1. What might be the original question thatled scientists to collect this data? Aresnowshoe hare cycles in Montana thesame as those just to the north in Canada?

2. What does it mean? The peaks andvalleys of the cycles appear to be nearlysynchronous.

What to Look for in Student Presentations

For their presentation, each research teamshould be able to construct a properly labeledgraph of their data. Each graph should have atitle. The X-axis and Y-axis (or both y-axes)should describe the type of data presentedand the units of measurement. Researchteams should also be able to demonstratethat they understand the information in averbal presentation to their peers.

Each research team should be able toexplain how their “new” questions relate tothe information they have collected. The teamshould be able to choose one of thesequestions and describe the logic or thoughtprocess behind the investigation that theyhave designed to answer the question.

Snowshoe Hare


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w

Collecting Observations

Asking Effective Questions• Open-ended—Cannot be answered with a simple yes or no.

• Testable—A scientist can attempt to answer the question throughresearch or experimentation.

Forming Hypotheses and Making Predictions• Hypotheses are explanations that might be true—they are statements

that can be tested by additional observation or experimentation.

• Predictions are the expected outcome of a test, assuming thehypothesis is correct.

Gathering Data• Scientific investigations are controlled experiments.

• An experimental group (a group that receives some type of experi-mental treatment) is compared to a control group (which does notreceive any treatment).

• The experimental group and the control group are identical except forone factor or variable, the independent variable.

• What is measured (the results) is the dependent variable.

Drawing Conclusions

Stages of Scientific Research



orrow

Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w

Lesson 5

In 1831, the manager of a Hudson’sBay Company post in northern Ontario,Canada, wrote to the head office inLondon. Profits would be down, hereported, because the local OjibwayIndians were starving due to a scarcity of“rabbits.” The “rabbits” were actuallysnowshoe hares. The Ojibway were unableto trap animals for fur for the companybecause they spent all their time fishingand trying to survive.

The Ojibway were not the only onesstarving. Every carnivore (meat eater) inthe boreal forest eats snowshoe hare—including hawks, owls, eagles, coyotes,foxes, wolves, fishers, martens, minks,wolverines and lynx. Most of theseanimals are generalist predators—theyeat a wide variety of prey. When haresare scarce, they quickly switch to othersources of food, such as fish, squirrels,or mice. Lynx, however, are specialistpredators that feed almost exclusivelyon snowshoe hares.

Snowshoe hare scarcity wasreported regularly in 18th and 19thcentury Canadian historical documents.At other times, reports said snowshoehares were so plentiful that “one couldhear continuous munching and crunchingof the rabbits eating any vegetation insite.” Wildlife biologists began to examinethese hare peaks and die-offs in the early1900’s, using the fur trading records ofHudson’s Bay Company.

Lynx-Hare Population Cycles Since its beginning in 1671, Hudson’s

Bay Company kept meticulous data ofevery pelt (preserved animal skin/fur) ofevery species collected at each of theirtrading posts in Canada. When snowshoehare pelt numbers were plotted on agraph, it appeared that there was a popu-lation die-off approximately every tenyears. A very interesting pattern seemedto emerge when the lynx pelt numberswere added to the graph. The rise and fallin lynx numbers mirrored, with a slighttime lag, the rise and fall of snowshoehare populations.

(Adapted from Odum, Fundamentals of Ecology, Saunders, 1953)

Was there a direct cause and effectrelationship? Did other predator popu-lations rise and fall with the snowshoe harecycles?

Student Pages

Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1935192519151905189518851875186518551845

Thou

sand

s

YearLynx Hare



orrow

Population DynamicsA population consists of all the indi-

viduals of a species that live in a particularplace at a particular time. Populations areconstantly changing in response to envi-ronmental conditions. They change in size(number of individuals), density (number ofindividuals in a certain area), and distri-bution (how individuals are arranged in anarea). These changes are called popu-lation dynamics.

A population grows when more indi-viduals are born or move into the popu-lation (immigrate) than die or move out(emigrate) in a given period. Differentspecies populations grow at differentrates—they have different biotic potential.For example, animals like the snowshoehare start reproducing early in life, havelarge litters and can have as many as fourlitters each year. The lynx, on the otherhand, has only one litter of one to threekittens each year. Therefore, hares havegreater biotic potential than lynx.

As a population grows, resources thatthe population needs may becomedepleted. When this happens, the popu-lation stops growing or declines. Anythingthat limits the growth of the population is alimiting factor. All of the limiting factorsacting on a species determine its carryingcapacity, the number of individuals of aspecies that a given environment cansupport. Carrying capacity is not a fixedquantity and is affected by many things—competition between and within species,catastrophic events, fluctuations in foodsupply and other resources, climatechanges and other factors.

Modeling Population DynamicsWhen scientists try to predict how a

population will change, they make a popu-lation model. Models attempt to imitatethe key characteristics of a real population.The spectacular lynx/snowshoe hare

cycles seemed to predict the populationdynamics of two closely tied predator andprey species. The lynx/hare graph is high-lighted in most biology and ecologytextbooks as one of the few examples of asimple predator/prey model.

There are two hypotheses (expla-nations) that could be supported by thissimple model. The first is the top-downcontrol hypothesis. According to thishypothesis, the predator populations controlthe prey populations. Lynx eat snowshoehares and the lynx population continues togrow. Gradually, there are so many lynxeating hares that the hare populationcrashes. Then, lacking food, the lynx starve.This allows the snowshoe hare populationto increase again, and the cycle starts over.

In the bottom-up control hypothesis, theprey population controls the predator popu-lation. The hare population continues toincrease as long as there is plenty of vege-tation. There is more food for lynx, so thelynx population increases. Finally, thesnowshoe hares are so numerous that theyeat themselves out of house and home (thevegetation is gone) and they begin tostarve. In turn, the lynx have nothing to eat,and they starve. The vegetation begins torecover, and the cycle starts over.

Life is Never SimpleThings are never as simple in nature as

they first appear. First, someone noticedthat snowshoe hare populations continuedto cycle even on an island where there wereno lynx. Then, another person noticed thatthere was an area where snowshoe harepopulations didn’t have dramatic boomsand busts, even though there were lots ofpredators. Yet another researcher noticedsynchronous changes in hare populationsthat were far apart. The hare populationsfluctuated at the same time in the samemanner. What was really behind all thesecycles? How could scientists find out?


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w

It can be pretty difficult to sort out whatis really happening in any population at anytime. The natural starting place is collectingall the observations that have been madeabout the species and its environment.Observations, particularly ones thatcontradict each other, lead to questions.Scientists then try to form testable expla-nations that would answer the questions. Ahypothesis is an explanation that might betrue, and can be tested by additionalobservations or experimentation.

Compared to most scientists, wildlifebiologists have it hard when it comes todesigning experiments. It is really difficultto conduct a controlled experiment in anecosystem. In a controlled experiment, anexperimental group (a group that receives

some type of experimental treatment) iscompared with a control group. Thecontrol group receives no experimentaltreatment. The control and experimentalgroup are designed to be identical exceptfor one factor or variable. The factor that ischanged in an experiment is called theindependent variable. The variable that ismeasured (like the change in population) iscalled the dependent variable.

As a member of the LynxReintroduction Team, you are trying tofathom the mystery of the lynx-hare popu-lation cycles and how they may affect yourreintroduction plan. You will be given acollection of observations, and your task isto ask some questions and design anexperiment to answer them.

What are the Lynx-Hare Population Dynamics?

Notes

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________



orrow

Your research team gathered data and observations about snowshoe harepopulations and their food. Your teamdiscovered that the diet of snowshoehares changes with the seasons. In thespring and early summer, hares eatnutrient-rich plants which are justemerging—grasses, horse-tails, and newlysprouted forbs (flowering plants) andshrubs. As the summer ends, the haresbegin to feed mostly on woody browse.Woody browse that is heavily grazedproduces new shoots with high levels oftoxins, which are less digestible. In winter,snowshoe hares feed primarily on treebark. Trees can tolerate some barkgnawing, but when too many hares feedon the same tree, the tree retaliates anddefends itself. The tree makes sap thatcovers the chewed area like a Band-Aid.The sap contains phenols and turpentinewhich are poisonous to hares.

Hares first excrete and then eat soft,green pellets of partly digested food. Inmuch the same way as a cow chews anddigests its food twice, these pellets goback into the hare’s bag-like digestivechamber. In the chamber, additionalnutrients are extracted before hard, fullydigested pellets are eliminated.

During your team’s literature search,you found this data table. What might bethe original question that led scientists tocollect this data? What does it mean?What is the best way to present this infor-mation to the other Research Teams?What new questions can be asked aboutthis data? Choose one of these questions.Propose a hypothesis, and design anexperiment that would prove or disproveyour hypothesis.

Research Team A—Observations

Year

1987 0.17 0.26 0.24

1988 0.53 1.03 0.61

1989 0.81 2.92 0.70

1990 1.58 3.49 2.11

1991 0.84 5.70 1.20

1992 0.30 1.56 0.24

1993 0.07 0.24 0.06

1994 0.06 0.25 0.55

Control Food Fertilizer

Control—There was no manipulation of this study plot.Food—Year-round supplemental food was provided for snowshoe hares onthis study plot.Fertilizer—This study plot was fertilized to increase plant growth.

From Krebs, C.J., S. Boutin, R. Boonstra, A.R.E. Sinclair, J.N.M. Smith, M.R.T.Dale, K. Martin, and R. Turkington. 1995. Impact of food and predation on thesnowshoe hare cycle. Science 269: 1112–1115.

DENSITY OF SNOWSHOE HARES ON THREE DIFFERENT STUDY PLOTSDENSITY OF SNOWSHOE HARES PER HECTARE


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w

Your research team gathered lynxharvest data from three regions in Canada.Eastern Canada includes the large provinceof Quebec and extends to the AtlanticOcean. The provinces of Saskatchewan,Manitoba, and Ontario form the region ofcentral Canada. Western Canada includesthe provinces of Alberta and BritishColumbia and borders the Pacific Ocean.

What might be the original question thatled scientists to collect this data? Whatdoes it mean? What is the best way topresent this information to the otherResearch Teams? What new questions canbe asked about this data? Choose one ofthese questions. Propose a hypothesis,and design an experiment that would proveor disprove your hypothesis.

Research Team B—Observations

Year

1955 1,2001956 1,1001957 1,2001958 1,2001959 2,5001960 3,6001961 3,4001962 3,4001963 3,8001964 5,0001965 4,0001966 3,9001967 2,5001968 2,3001969 2,4001970 1,5001971 1,6001972 3,7001973 6,2001974 4,0001975 2,6001976 2,5001977 2,7001978 2,6001979 2,6001980 3,7001981 3,8001982 3,7001983 1,5001984 1,5001985 1,2001986 1,0001987 9001988 8001989 8001990 8001991 7001992 1,2001993 1,0001994 900

EASTERN CANADA

Lynx Year

1955 3,0001956 3,0001957 2,0001958 2,5001959 12,0001960 15,0001961 27,0001962 24,0001963 16,0001964 12,0001965 3,0001966 2,5001967 6,0001968 4,0001969 10,0001970 17,5001971 27,0001972 27,0001973 17,0001974 8,0001975 5,0001976 4,0001977 5,0001978 10,0001979 15,0001980 15,0001981 20,0001982 14,0001983 5,0001984 2,5001985 2,0001986 2,0001987 1,9001988 2,0001989 2,5001990 1,8001991 3,5001992 2,4001993 1,2001994 1,100

WESTERN CANADA

LynxYear

1955 1,7001956 1,7001957 3,8001958 8,0001959 25,0001960 19,0001961 16,0001962 16,0001963 11,0001964 3,7001965 3,6001966 3,6001967 5,0001968 11,0001969 18,0001970 17,5001971 17,5001972 1,7601973 7,5001974 3,7001975 3,6001976 5,5001977 8,0001978 10,5001979 11,0001980 8,5001981 9,0001982 6,0001983 5,0001984 1,0001985 9,001986 1,0001987 8001988 9001989 1,1001990 1,2001991 2,5001992 2,0001993 1,8001994 1,800

CENTRAL CANADA

Lynx

From McKelvey, K.S., K.B. Aubrey, and Y.K. Ortega. 2000. History and distribution oflynx in the contiguous United States. Pages 207–264 in Ruggiero et al. eds.

Ecology and Conservation of Lynx in the United States. Denver, CO: UniversityPress of Colorado.



orrow

Snowshoe hares begin to breed in thespring when they are one year old. Eachfemale can have three or four litters in asummer, with an average of five leverets(baby snowshoe hares) in a litter. Yourteam has gathered fifteen years of dataabout snowshoe hare density and repro-duction in central Alberta, Canada.

What might be the original questionthat led scientists to collect this data?

What does it mean? What is the best wayto present this information to the otherResearch Teams? What new questionscan be asked about this data? Chooseone of these questions. Propose ahypothesis, and design an experiment thatwould prove or disprove your hypothesis.

Research Team C—Observations

Year

1962 11 2.7

1963 8 1

1964 12 0.3

1965 16 0.2

1966 18 0.2

1967 16 0.3

1968 16 1

1969 15 1.5

1970 12 3.5

1971 9 5.1

1972 8 2.5

1973 7 0.8

1974 11 0.2

1975 14 0.05

1976 18 0.1

DENSITY OF SNOWSHOE HARES/REPRODUCTION—CENTRAL ALBERTA, CANADA

Number of Leverets/Female Density (Number of Hares/Hectare)

From Cary, J.R., and L.B. Keith. 1979. Reproductive change in the 10-yearcycle of snowshoe hares. Canadian Journal of Zoology 57: 375–390.


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w

Your team radio-collared adultsnowshoe hares for several years to seewhat percent of them would survive for 30days. The cause of death (mortality) foreach hare varies.

What might be the original questionthat led scientists to collect this data?

What does it mean? What is the best wayto present this information to the otherResearch Teams? What new questions canbe asked about this data? Choose one ofthese questions. Propose a hypothesis,and design an experiment that wouldprove or disprove your hypothesis.

Research Team D—Observations

Year

1977 92 0.1

1978 88 0.6

1979 86 1.0

1980 82 2.4

1981 72 2.5

1982 76 0.7

1983 75 0.2

1984 83 0.2

1985–1987 Too few hares captured to 1985 = 0.2; 1986 = 0.1; 1987 = 0.2estimate survival accurately

1988 90 0.5

1989 88 0.9

1990 84 1.5

1991 64 0.8

1992 77 0.3

1993 86 0.1

1994 86 0.1

1995 90 0.2

DENSITY OF SNOWSHOE HARES/30-DAY SURVIVAL RATE

Survival Rate Per 30 Days (%) Density (Number of Hares/Hectare)

From Krebs, C.J., R. Boonstra, S. Boutin, and A.R.E. Sinclair. 2001. What drivesthe 10-year cycle of snowshoe hares? BioScience 51: 25–35.



orrow

Your research team has been studyingsnowshoe hare mortality. Your team hasfound that almost all snowshoe hares dieof predation. The main predators of adultsnowshoe hares are coyotes, lynx,goshawks, and great horned owls. Leveretsare preyed upon by small raptors (borealowls, Harlan’s hawks, kestrels, and hawkowls) and small mammals (red squirrels,ground squirrels, weasels, and martens).

What might be the original questionthat led scientists to collect this data?What does it mean? What is the best wayto present this information to the otherResearch Teams? What new questionscan be asked about this data? Chooseone of these questions. Propose ahypothesis, and design an experiment thatwould prove or disprove your hypothesis.

Research Team E—Observations

Year

1988 0.53 0.75 0.11

1989 0.81 0.69 3.22

1990 1.58 1.72 5.50

1991 0.84 1.53 4.94

1992 0.30 0.39 4.08

1993 0.07 0.17 1.42

1994 0.06 0.25 0.86

DENSITY OF SNOWSHOE HARES PER HECTARE

Control Predator Free Predator Free and Food

Control—There was no manipulation of this study plot.Predator Free—Electric fences kept all terrestrial (land) predators out of thisstudy plot.Predator Free and Food—Electric fences kept all terrestrial (land) predatorsout of this study plot and supplemental food was provided for snowshoe hares.

From Krebs, C.J., S. Boutin, R. Boonstra, A.R.E. Sinclair, J.N.M. Smith, M.R.T.Dale, K. Martin, and R. Turkington. 1995. Impact of food and predation on thesnowshoe hare cycle. Science 269: 1112–1115.

Snowshoe Hare


Less

on 5

: H

are

Toda

y, G

one

Tom

orro

w

Your research team has comparedlynx harvest data (number of animalstaken by hunting or trapping) in Albertaand British Columbia, Canada withharvest data from Montana, USA. Whatmight be the original question that ledscientists to collect this data? What does

it mean? What is the best way to presentthis information to the other ResearchTeams? What new questions can beasked about this data? Choose one ofthese questions. Propose a hypothesis,and design an experiment that wouldprove or disprove your hypothesis.

Research Team F—Observations

Year

1950 3,000 51951 2,000 141952 6,000 101953 4,000 201954 6,000 181955 3,000 231956 3,000 401957 2,000 321958 2,500 281959 12,000 451960 15,000 401961 27,000 301962 24,000 751963 16,000 3801964 12,000 1501965 3,000 1601966 2,500 1001967 6,000 551968 4,000 451969 10,000 501970 17,500 451971 27,000 3001972 27,000 2601973 17,000 1601974 8,,000 2501975 5,000 351976 4,000 241977 5,000 231978 10,000 501979 15,000 301980 15,000 351981 20,000 501982 14,000 501983 5,000 1351984 2,500 1201985 2,000 1001986 2,000 551987 1,900 401988 2,000 51989 2,500 2

LYNX HARVEST COMPARISON

Alberta and British Columbia Montana

From McKelvey, K.S., K.B. Aubrey, and Y.K. Ortega. 2000. History and distri-bution of lynx in the contiguous United States. Pages 207–264 in Ruggiero et

al. eds. Ecology and Conservation of Lynx in the United States. Denver, CO:University Press of Colorado.



orrow

Notes

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd


• Describe the historic distri-bution of Canadian lynx inNorth America.

• Define and give examples ofmetapopulation species.

• Describe the pattern ofdispersal and colonizationcommon to metapopulationdynamics.

• Graph changes in populationsand infer the probable futureimpact of a course of action—in this case, a reintroductionprogram.

BackgroundBiogeography is the science

that studies the distribution oflife, past and present. Thisactivity looks at both the pastand present distribution ofCanadian lynx, and explores how a restoration program thatmimics historic dispersal andcolonization patterns mayinfluence the species futurepresence in Colorado.

Teaching Strategies1. Thoroughly read the studentactivity No Cat Is An Island.

2. As a review of previousactivities, ask students whichhabitat lynx prefer in Colorado.Lynx prefer subalpine forests.

3. Hand out the student pages:No Cat is an Island. Allow thestudents some time to read thehandout.

4. Divide the class up into thesame student groups thatcompleted Lesson 3, Map ThatCat (preferably).

5. Return the maps that werecompleted in Lesson 3 to eachgroup.

6. Show students the trans-parency: Distribution of Lynx inthe Conterminous United States.Take a marker and loosely drawlines around the areas wherethere are high concentrations oflynx sightings (see diagram onthe following page).


No Cat Is An Island

SummaryStudents use maps of the geographic distribution of lynx

in North America as part of a simulation game that inves-tigates ecological theories related to island biogeography.Duration

One to two 45-minute classperiods

VocabularyBiogeography

Biome

Boreal

Circumboreal

Circumpolar

Colonization

Dispersal

Indigenous

Island

Metapopulation

Peninsula

Recolonization

Recruitment

Source Population

Subpopulation

Succession

Taiga

Lesson 6

82




• Maps completed in Lesson 3,

Map that Cat.

• Acetate transparency:Distribution of

Lynx in theConterminousUnited States

• Student Pages: No Cat Is An Island,

one photocopy per student.

• Student Pages: The Metapopulation

Game, onephotocopy per

student.

• Student Pages: The MetapopulationGame—ConsideringOther Impacts, one

photocopy perstudent

• Student Page:Metapopulation

Game Charts, onephotocopy per

student

• Lynx tokens—photocopy one

sheet per student.Send these tokensheets home withstudents the nightprior to the lessonto be cut apart—

or—enlist a studentaid to help cut these

prior to the lesson.This will save

classroom time.

• Coins (four per six-student group)

• Graph paper

7. Ask students “What patterndo you see”? Students shouldnote a peninsular type shapeextending from Canadasouthward along the RockyMountains. They should also notethat the peninsula shape beginsto deteriorate at its southern-most periphery, creating moreisland-like features in Colorado,parts of Utah and Wyoming.

8. Review the student readingand connect it to this map.

9. Explain to students that ifthey think of northern Canada’sboreal forests as the “mainland oflynx,” then the Rocky Mountainchain may be thought of as asouthern extension of thatmainland; sort of like a peninsula.The “Rocky MountainPeninsula’s” high elevation allowsit to have similar vegetation,climate, and lynx habitat to theboreal forests of Canada.

10. Ask students to imagine fillingup the low elevations with a giantsea of water. Only the highestelevations would remain dry. TheRocky Mountain Peninsula wouldreally be evident. But what wouldstudents then notice about themountains of central Coloradoand some parts of Utah andWyoming? They become“islands” of lynx habitat, near to,but separate from the peninsula.Check that students understandthe terms population, sourcepopulation, subpopulation, andmetapopulation.


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd11. Now, give each student one copy of TheMetapopulation Game and one copy of TheMetapopulation Game Chart. Ask students,“Can you think of some reasons why a lynxwould deliberately leave its local habitat andtravel in search of other habitat? Some possi-bilities are that the lynx are hungry andlooking for food; juveniles are leaving to findtheir own territory; or lynx are seeking mates.

12. Tell students they will be using theirconstructed maps for the metapopulationgame, which will simulate the populationcycles of lynx in these areas. They shouldfollow the directions and answer thequestions as they go along. They should feelfree to ask for clarification of instructions ifneeded.

13. After students have completed the simu-lation game, review questions 10a through10j.

14. Tell students that many changes in theUnited States due to human activity or otherfactors may have affected historical lynxdispersal and recolonization to the islandhabitats. Ask students to brainstorm whatsome of these activities might be. The listcould include road construction, automobiletraffic, development, logging, agriculturalconflicts, recreation, and the like.

15. Discuss the results of the game and theimplications for Colorado’s lynx reintroductionprogram.

Assessment• How well did students answer questions in

either written or discussion format?

• How well did students graph lynx popu-lations?

Extensions• What other populations may follow some of

the theories of metapopulations? (Spottedowl, wolverine, frogs, prairie dogs)

• What other species have healthy popu-lations in mainland Canada and strugglingmetapopulations down the Rocky Mountainhabitat peninsula? (Wolf, grizzly bear,wolverine) Should Colorado try to rein-troduce those species?

• What is the status of the European Lynx?Do some of the theories of metapopulationsapply there? Are there lynx reintroductionefforts in Europe?

• The ecology of island populations has longintrigued scientists. How did the GalapagosIslands influence the development Darwin’sevolutionary theories?



Key10. Your group should have played for a totalof 30 years. Answer/discuss the followingquestions thoroughly:

a. Were any of the island populationsextirpated? At least one islandshould go extinct; however, becausethis is based on random events—flipped coins—more than one islandor no islands may have gone extinct.Distance from the peninsula is not afactor.

b. Was that island extirpation due todeliberate actions or by randomchance? Random chance.

c. Did any of the island populations everincrease to over 10 lynx and maintainthat number for more than 10 years?At least one island should haveincreased to over 10 lynx and main-tained that number; however,because this is based on chance,sometimes more than one island orno islands may have experiencedthis.

d. If so, was that island’s successfulpopulation due to a sequence ofdeliberate actions or random chance?Random chance.

e. Did you find that once an island’spopulation reached 10 lynx that it wasnot likely to later become extinct?Generally that’s true. Once an islandpopulation is large, it’s much morelikely to withstand losses due torandom events. (This has importantimplications in Colorado’s reintro-duction program).

f. Was the peninsula populationextirpated? Why or why not? No. Ithad a larger population to beginwith than the islands. Also, it isdirectly connected to Canada’ssource population.

g. What was the effect of the lynxdispersal that occurred every 10years? Did it help to successfullyrecolonize any of the islands? Lynxdispersal may help to recolonize theisland. If an island is recolonized bya lynx, the lynx still has a 50/50chance of survival on the very nextcoin flip.

h. In real life, could island recolonizationoccur with one lynx? Also, in real life,would a dispersing lynx automaticallytravel to the island with the leastnumber of lynx? No. A male and afemale would be the necessaryminimum. Pregnant females are notlikely to disperse. Lynx would not beable to know which island had theleast number of lynx.

i. In real life, how do you think distancewould affect the probability ofsuccessful dispersal and recolonizationof an island habitat? Can you relatethat to Colorado’s position on the mapas related to the peninsula? Thefarther the island is from thepeninsula, the less likely asuccessful recolonization will occur.The odds of a dispersing lynxfinding and recolonizing an islanddecreases with distance. Coloradois the farthest island from thepeninsula.

j. Was the metapopulation extirpated?Hopefully not, though it is remotelypossible through random events.


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd11. Construct a line graph showing all fourpopulations over the 30-year period of time.Answers will vary.

12. Historical records show that Colorado hada small “island” population of resident lynx.Beginning in 1999, the Colorado Division ofWildlife has captured and released lynx fromCanada and Alaska and reintroduced theminto Colorado in an effort to bolster its nativelynx and re-establish a permanentsuccessfully reproducing population. How isColorado’s lynx reintroduction program similarto, and different from, the metapopulationdispersal/recolonization ideas presented inthis activity? In some ways Colorado’s lynxreintroduction program artificially mimicsthose processes. Modern human activities(like highways) and habitat loss maycontribute to blocking the natural dispersaland recolonization that used to happen.Also, by augmenting the lynx population on the Colorado “island,” there is anincreased probability that the populationwill survive random negative events.

Distribution of Lynx in theConterminous United States



From Ecology and Conversation of Lynx in the United States. Used with thepermission of Dr. Kevin S. McKelvey


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd



Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd

Lesson 6

Boreal Forests and Lynx—TheView from Space

Biomes are biological communitiesthat cover large land areas and havesimilar climate and vegetation. If you wereto try to map all the different biomes fromspace, you would notice something inter-esting. From a spaceship hovering overthe North Pole, you would see a great ringof coniferous trees, mostly spruce and fir,circling the globe. These forests covervast areas of Eurasia and North Americaand need cold, wet climates to grow. Thisbiome, one of the largest on Earth, is oftencalled by its Russian name, taiga, but weknow it as the boreal forest. Fingers ofthese forests extend southward wherehigh mountains provide similar climate,conditions that are found in the ColoradoRocky Mountains

Lynx are circumboreal—severalspecies are found throughout these highlatitude forests that circle the globe. TheCanada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is found inNorth America. The Eurasian or SiberianLynx (Lynx lynx) was once found in theforested areas throughout most of Europe,the Middle East and Asia. Today the rangeof the cat has been drastically reducedand it is found primarily in Russia, Finland,Sweden, Norway, and throughout northernAsia. The Eurasian Lynx is larger than theCanadian Lynx. The Iberian Lynx (Lynxpardinus) is found in Portugal and Spainand—with less than 1,000 known animalsin the wild—is critically endangered.

Colorado’s IslandsAn island is an isolated body of land.

While we tend to think of a patch of landcovered with palm trees and surroundedby ocean as an island, many types ofislands exist on earth. An island could alsobe a large park in the middle of a city, ormeadow surrounded by forests. TheRocky Mountains of the western U.S., theCascade Mountains in Oregon, and theAdirondacks Mountains of New Englandall have peninsula-like extensions ofspruce/fir forests. More and more, thehabitat in these areas is broken up byhuman development such as highways,residential areas, snowmobile trails, cross-country trails, and ski runs. The remainingpatches of boreal forest are like smallislands located in a "sea" of land uses.

In North America, the northern andwestern provinces of Canada have largeand healthy lynx populations. However, inthe peninsular or island-like southernfringes like Colorado’s Rocky Mountains,lynx populations are much lower. Notmuch is known about the ecology of thesepopulations of lynx, and they offer aunique opportunity to research islandbiogeography—the study of the distri-bution and population changes of speciesin an isolated ecosystem.

Island species are especially at risk ofextinction. Their smaller geographic rangeand low population numbers make themmore vulnerable to natural limiting factorssuch as disease, fire and normal popu-lation fluctuations. They are also morevulnerable to inbreeding, because thereare fewer opportunities to get new genes.

Student Pages

No Cat Is An Island



Luckily, lynx in Colorado’s RockyMountains are not completely isolated.These lynx are part of ametapopulation—groups of subpopu-lations of lynx living on habitat patches(islands) separated from a larger sourcepopulation of lynx in Canada. Over time,an island subpopulation may go extinct,but be recolonized—reestablished—byfuture dispersing (traveling) lynx fromother island or peninsula populations.

Reintroduction as a wildlifemanagement tool imitates recolonization.In order to be successful, both reintro-duction and recolonization requiresuccessful reproduction, not simply thepresence of a species there. As long asmore animals are added into an island

population (recruitment), through immi-gration or reproduction, the metapopu-lation as a whole survives. However, if allof the islands’ extirpation rate becomegreater than the recolonization rate, theentire metapopulation can face extirpation.

Lynx can disperse great distances,sometimes leaving the comfort of theircool forests to cross roads, rivers, andwarm, snowless terrain. However, for alynx to successfully disperse from thesource population to an island it needs tobe in good enough condition to survivethe journey and it needs to travel in theright direction. It needs to avoid as manyobstacles, such as roads or other hazards,as possible. Generally, more than half ofdispersing animals die.


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd

The Metapopulation GameYou are going to be playing a game

that mimics dispersion and recolonization.You will need the maps you constructedfrom Lesson 3, Map That Cat.

1. Using the map from Map That Cat,place four lynx tokens on each of thesethree island habitats:

• Central Colorado,

• Northeastern Utah (Uintah Mountains),and

• Northcentral Wyoming (BighornMountains).

These represent very low-density, frag-mented island populations with a verytenuous existence.

2. Place 25 lynx tokens in the peninsulacreated in Montana, Idaho, and north-western Wyoming. This represents themedium-density peninsula population oflynx with stable numbers. Together withthe island populations, these make up thelynx metapopulation in the United States.

3. Imagine hundreds of lynx tokensplaced in Canada. These would representthe large, “mainland” population of lynx.The remainder of the lynx tokens can beplaced in this source population “bank.”

4. A flipped coin will be used to demon-strate the chance risks that these islandand peninsula populations encounter in ayear. Four members of your group willeach adopt one of the four lynx popu-lations: the peninsula and the threeislands. Each will need a coin. One othermember of your group will be the datarecorder and one other will be the banker.

5. Upon the data recorder’s command,flip all four coins simultaneously. A headswill represent an addition of one lynx tothe population. A tails represents a loss ofone lynx to the population. The banker willdistribute or collect lynx as needed andthe data recorder will record the “yearly”change (Each coin flip represents oneyear).

6. Continue as above for 10 yearsadding or removing the lynx tokens. Someisland populations may be extirpated. Ifso, that member of the group should stop.The other members may continue thegame as long as they have lynx in theirpopulation.

7. After ten years a unique eventhappens. Lynx in Canada are at the end oftheir cyclic high populations. Snowshoehare populations are declining rapidly andlynx are beginning to starve. Lynx begin todisperse. Dispersal behaviors begincreating a ripple effect throughout theentire continent! To demonstrate this, thebanker will add three lynx to the peninsulapopulation; and three peninsular lynx willdisperse southward. Most lynx dispersinglong distances die; but a few survive tofind adequate habitat. To demonstratethis, two of the dispersing lynx die (andget returned to the bank). One lynxsurvives and disperses to the island withthe lowest number of lynx.

8. Continue playing the game for tenmore years. The data recorder needs tokeep accurate records. At the end of tenmore years another cyclic dispersal eventoccurs. Repeat the same procedure as #7above.

9. Continue playing the game for anotherten years and stop.



10. Your group should have played for atotal of 30 years. Answer/discuss thefollowing questions thoroughly:

a. Were any of the island populationsextirpated?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

b. Was that island extirpation due to asequence of deliberate actions orrandom chance?

__________________________________

c. Did any of the island populationsever increase to over 10 lynx andmaintain that number for more than10 years?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

d. If so, was that island’s successfulpopulation due to a sequence ofdeliberate actions or randomchance?

__________________________________

e. Did you find that once an island’spopulation reached 10 lynx that itwas not likely to later becomeextinct?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

f. Was the peninsula populationextirpated? Why or why not?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

g. What was the effect of the lynxdispersal that occurred every 10years? Did it help to successfullyrecolonize any of the islands?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

h. In real life, could island recolo-nization occur with one lynx? Also,in real life, would a dispersing lynxautomatically travel to the islandwith the least number of lynx?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

i. In real life, how do you thinkdistance would affect the proba-bility of successful dispersal andrecolonization of an island habitat?Can you relate that to Colorado’sposition on the map as related tothe peninsula?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

j. Was the metapopulation extirpated?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd

11. Construct a line graph showing all fourpopulations over the 30-year period oftime.

12. Historical records show that Coloradohad a small “island” population of residentlynx. Beginning in 1999, the ColoradoDivision of Wildlife has captured andreleased lynx from Canada and Alaska andreintroduced them into Colorado in aneffort to bolster its native lynx and re-establish a permanent successfully repro-ducing population. How is Colorado’s lynxreintroduction program similar to, anddifferent from, the metapopulationdispersal/recolonization ideas presented inthis activity?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________



THE METAPOPULATON GAME CHART

Northeastern Utah

Rocky MountainPeninsula

NUMBER OF LYNX

1 4 4 4 25

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Central Colorado

NorthcentralWyomingYear


Less

on 6

: N

o Ca

t Is

An

Isla

nd



Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________


Less

on 7

: It

’s A

Plo

t!


• Describe the use of radiotelemetry equipment in lynxecology research anddistinguish between varioustransmitting and receivingsystems.

• Set up a habitat plot.

• Use appropriate tools, tech-nologies, and measurementunits to gather, process, andanalyze habitat data.

• Use graphs to compare resultsof their surveys with existingdata.

BackgroundMost high school students

understand the importance ofgood wildlife habitat and candescribe its basic components—food, water, shelter, and spacearranged in a way that canadequately support healthy popu-lations. This activity introducesstudents to the technology andtechniques that scientists use toget a deeper understanding of thehabitat needs of a particularspecies—lynx—and demonstrates

why this information is critical toColorado’s lynx reintroductionefforts.

Teaching StrategiesNote: To best approximate lynxhabitat and field methods used byDOW biologist, this activity wouldbe done in the winter in anEnglemann spruce/subalpine firforest. However, since few schoolsare located near these forests,and since field trips may not fitwith school budgets or timeconstraints, this activity can takeplace any time of year in anywooded habitat. If school groundshave no trees, try a local park oropen space.

1. Thoroughly read the studentmaterials for It’s a Plot!

2. Before introducing the activity,decide how many studentresearch teams you will have and “mock-up” a correspondingnumber of field sites. Be sure youchoose an area where you can setup one 12 meter x 12 meter plotfor each student team, in themanner described in the studentmaterials. To do so, you can writedown the “use” the lynx has forthat particular site on a card forthe research team or you can get


It’s A Plot!

SummaryStudent research teams construct habitat plots to

evaluate features important to lynx. They compare their datato findings of DOW lynx researchers.


VocabularyAerial search

Aspect

Backtrack

Blowdown

DBH (Diameter atBreast Height)

Deadfall

Home range

Mean

Mesic

Mortality signal

Overstory

Protocol

Radio telemetryequipment

Receiving system

Regenerating

Scat

Sign

Territory

Transmitting system

Understory

Lesson 7

100




• Wooded area, in spruce/fir forest,

school grounds, parkor local open space

• Student reading pagesfor It’s a Plot!,

one per student

• Student activity pageIt’s a Plot! Habitat

Analysis, one per student

• Student data formLynx Daily Tracking Log and Site-ScaleHabitat Evaluation,

one per student

• Tape measure withmetric and English

scale, one per student team

• Pole or stick that is 150 cm in length or

longer, one per student team

• Garden stakes orposts, 28 per student team

• Compass, one perstudent team

• Hammer, one perstudent team

• String, 65 meters inlength, one per

student team

• Calculator, one perstudent team

• Optional: Key to treesand shrubs of the area

• Optional:Topographical map

of the area

• Optional: “Props” ofvarious kinds, such asstuffed toy rabbit, red

food coloring, etc.

• Optional: If availablethrough your DOW

office, a radio trans-mitter and receiver

creative with this. Create an arti-ficial track line in the snow or dirt,throw a stuffed-toy rabbitsplattered with red food coloringon the ground, form a lynx bed,etc.

3. Give each student a readingpacket, but not the HabitatAnalysis or Lynx Daily TrackingLog and Site-Scale HabitatEvaluation pages.

4. After giving studentssufficient reading time, review thematerial. Talk about the need forvarious tracking technologies.Lynx travel extremely longdistances in search of food orother needs. While satellite andaerial tracking help locate lynx,these methods cannot giveresearchers the information theyneed to understand how lynx usehabitat. Only ground tracking andhabitat evaluation can givescientists information abouthabitat features that are criticalfor lynx. Optional: If radiotelemetry equipment is available,demonstrate how the equipmentworks. DOW staff may be able toassist you.

5. Discuss the importance ofprotocol in habitat evaluation. Ifeach research assistant had adifferent method of evaluatinghabitat and recording theirfindings, the data could not beput together in a way that makessense.

6. Divide students into researchteams of three to four students.Tell each team that they aretracking a unique lynx and havefound a site that looks importantfor lynx.

7. Give each student a LynxDaily Tracking Log and Site-ScaleHabitat Evaluation form. Tellstudents that they will be eval-uating the habitat site and will

later compare their findings withother lynx researchers. Ask eachstudent team to gather thematerials they need to set up andevaluate their plot: Tape measurewith metric and English scale,pole or stick that is 150 cm inlength or longer, 28 gardenstakes or posts, compass,hammer, calculator, and piece ofstring, 65 meters in length.

8. Take student teams to theirhabitat sites and let each teamset up their plot and record infor-mation.

9. After students complete theLynx Daily Tracking Log and Site-Scale Habitat Evaluations form,give each student the It’s a Plot!Habitat Analysis activity sheet.Give students time to completethe activity and discuss thefindings as a class.

Assessment• Students write a paragraph

discussing the importance ofusing research protocols tobuild a body of scientificknowledge.

Extensions• Explore succession in the

spruce/fir forest and relatesuccessional stages to lynxhabitat needs.

• Modify the field exercise togather habitat information for adifferent species.

• Students can calculate theaverages (means) of the classfindings and compare those tothe researchers’ results for yearthree.


Less

on 7

: It

’s A

Plo

t!

KeyCompletion of the Lynx Daily Tracking Log

and Site-Scale Habitat Evaluation form andanswers to questions 1 through 4 will vary,since each habitat plot will be different.

5. a. What was the most commonunderstory species in habitat used bylynx in year three? Engelmannspruce.

b. What was the most commonunderstory species in your habitat?Varies.

c. What was the most common overstoryspecies in the plots sampled byresearchers in year three? Engelmannspruce.

d. Which species, if present in a plot,provided the most cover in a plot?Lodgepole pine.

e. What was the most common overstoryspecies in your habitat plot? Varies.

f. What two trees are most commonlyfound in the habitat plots in yearthree? Engelmann spruce andsubalpine fir.

g. In general, were these young trees orold trees? How do you know? Theymay be younger trees because theDBH is generally small. However,Colorado has a dry, cold climate andtrees do not grow as quickly or asbig as in other places. The only wayto know for sure would be to docore sampling of the trees.

h. What were the two most commontrees found in your habitat plot?Varies.

i. Why do researchers collect so muchinformation about sites where lynxhunt, rest, den, and mark territories?How will they apply their findings tomanagement practices? Throughcareful analysis of this data,researchers may be able todetermine habitat characteristicsthat lynx prefer. As managers, theycan work with private and publiclandholders to conserve importantlynx habitat.

EngelmannSpruce Subalpine Fir



Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________


Less

on 7

: It

’s A

Plo

t!

Lesson 7

In general, biologists know that lynxlive in spruce/fir forests and that thoseforests have different dominant trees indifferent regions (see Lesson 3, Map thatCat). Lynx are abundant in some of theseforests, and scarce in others. Even whenthe population goes bust in BritishColumbia, lynx are not rare. Colorado, onthe other hand, has thousands of squaremiles of spruce/fir forests, yet historically,has never had huge populations of lynx.Why is that? What elements of the habitatare critical for lynx survival?

Most of what scientists know aboutlynx ecology comes from research in thefar northern part of its range, from Canadaand Alaska. In these areas, lynx preferregenerating forest stands more than 20years old rather than mature forests. Thedense understory of these stands providesfood, cover, and protection for snowshoehare—the cat’s favorite food. In addition,lynx use blowdown and deadfall trees inthis habitat for dens. Usually, males have alarger home range (the area an animaltravels in the scope of its normal activities)than females. Both females and males setup territories—areas they defend againstothers of the same species. Breeding maleand female pairs have territories thatalmost completely overlap, but lynx of thesame sex rarely share territory.

Colorado’s habitat is not like Canada’sor Alaska’s. Therefore, biologists do notknow if lynx have the same habitat needsat the southern end of their range as in thefar north. Colorado spruce/fir forests arehigher in elevation, more isolated, andmore mesic (drier). Since there is less

moisture, forest regeneration is slowerhere. Lynx have been missing fromColorado for quite some time. The reintro-duction provides researchers with a greatopportunity to increase their knowledge,and in turn, accurately define themanagement options that will enhancelynx survival here.

Follow that Cat!So how in the world can a researcher

find out how big a male lynx’s home rangeis in Colorado? Or what its diet is? Orwhether it has a mate? Is the researcherjust supposed to follow the cat around dayand night? Yes, pretty much!

Running after a lynx in deep snowwould be pretty irritating to the cat, andexhausting, if not impossible, for theresearcher. Luckily, there is a technologicalsolution to this problem. Animalmovements are determined through aerialor satellite monitoring and more detailedinformation is gathered from on-the-ground snow tracking.

Radio telemetry collars (VHF) havebeen used on lynx since the first animalswere released in February 1999. Radiotelemetry equipment consists of twoparts, a transmitting system and areceiving system. The collar is the trans-mitting system, which includes a radiotransmitter, a power source (battery) andantenna, all contained in one compactunit. Each collar has its own frequencysimilar to a radio station frequency. The

Student Pages

It’s A Plot!



collars are also equipped with motionsensors that tell researchers the cat isphysically active. If the sensor detects thatan animal has not moved for an extendedperiod, usually four hours, a faster signalis emitted by the transmitter. This is amortality signal, indicating that the animalmay be dead.

The receiving system includes both adirectional antenna and a receiver. Thereceiver is set to a specific frequency, andif the operator is within range, he or sheshould hear a beeping signal.

VHF collars require an aircraft to flywithin a few miles of an individual cat topick up its distinctive signal. This can bedifficult because lynx cover so muchground. Sometimes the animal will godown behind a ridge or in a canyon, whichcan make it difficult to pick up its signal.Since April 2000, lynx were fitted withcollars that contain both tiny radio andsatellite transmitters. The satellite trans-mitters provide approximate lynx locationson a weekly basis. The DOW can thenhone in on a specific lynx by airplaneusing the VHF radio signal broadcasted bythe collar.

Tuning in to LYNX 99.5In order to determine the exact

location of a lynx, researchers begin with abroad aerial search. The single-engineDOW aircraft has an antenna mounted onthe outside to track each lynx signal anddetermine its approximate location. Tolocate a radio-collared lynx from the air,the pilot flies over suspected lynx territorywhile the researcher listens for a signal.When the researcher hears the beeps, thepilot will drop down and circle the area.From the air, the pilot and researcher onboard will make a visual reading of the

vegetation, whether it is spruce/fir oraspen or other vegetation, the elevationand which direction the slope faces.

Then, the on-the-ground trackingefforts begin. The primary purpose ofground tracking is to obtain informationthat can’t be gathered through the aerialtracking efforts. By following lynx tracks,researchers gather information about eachanimal’s day-to-day behavior and otherimportant clues in discovering how lynxare adapting to Colorado’s climate, andwhat habitat conditions and prey speciesthey prefer.

Making Tracks Winter is the best time to collect data

because lynx tracks are easy to identify inthe snow. When tracking lynx on theground, the researcher must first locatethe animal using an antenna and receiver.After picking up a signal, she straps onsnowshoes and hikes through the denseforest to locate the lynx tracks. The DOW’slynx tracker is careful not to get too closeto the lynx she is tracking. Once she spotsits tracks, she backtracks—hikes alongthe tracks away from the cat. The trackerthen documents any scat, fresh kills andhunting beds. Typically, if she finds scatnear the lynx tracks, she backtracks andlooks for a day bed where the animal mayhave rested after making a kill. Just likehumans, a lynx will eat, take a nap andthen defecate. All of this information helpsto further define the habitat requirementsand prey preferences for lynx in Colorado.

If researchers pick up a mortality signalduring the aerial search, ground trackerstry to recover the animal as soon aspossible. They search the immediate areafor signs of other predators and take aphotograph of the carcass before moving


Less

on 7

: It

’s A

Plo

t!

it. The researchers then take the dead lynxback to the lab to determine the cause ofdeath. They keep detailed records ofmortalities and overall survival rates of thereintroduced lynx. This information maylead to changes in management efforts.

Signs Lynx trackers become skilled at

reading tracks and other lynx sign (anyindication of an animal’s passage throughor use of an area). Some signs show lynxjust moving through. These might be scat(feces) along a track or short durationbeds (an indentation in the snow where alynx would crouch or rest briefly). Othersites seem more important for lynx.Certain types of habitat use usually meanthat there are features in the habitat thatlynx select (prefer). These could include:

Hunting Behavior

• Start of Chases (both successful andunsuccessful)

• Kills

Long Duration Beds

• (places where a lynx would have lainlong enough for its body heat to meltsnow, usually a depression with ice atthe bottom)

Territory Marks

• Scat (buried or placed in a prominentplace)

• Scenting (spray)

Road Crossings

Dens

Following ProtocolTo be useful, the data that researchers

collect about the habitat in these areashas to be consistent—documented in thesame way each time. When eachresearcher follows the same protocol(plan) to collect and record data, the datacan provide reliable information about lynxecology in Colorado.

Every time researchers discover animportant lynx habitat-use site, theyrecord information about that site. First,the researchers record general informationabout the site including:

• Date and Time of the find.

• Lynx being tracked (each has its ownnumber)

• Location (county, forest name, UTM orlatitude/longitude from a map)

• Elevation (from map)

• Slope

• Aspect (the direction of “downhill”—using a compass)

• General Habitat Description (adescription of the plants found at thesite such as grasses and forbs, shrubsor seedlings, saplings, mature trees, etc.)

• Trackers (the names of the researchers)

• Habitat Use (what was found there—scat, bed, kill, etc.)

• Other Animal Species (check if othertracks or signs visible)

• Human Activity (None if track was notfound off an existing snowmobile, ski, orsnowshoe track and the distance tonearest human track is greater than 1.0km; Low if track was found near lowhuman activity such as existing snow-mobile or ski track; Medium if trackfound near medium human activitywhere the presence of other people in



the area was detected during trackingeffort; or High if track found near highhuman activity including detectingpresence of many people nearby, nearmajor road, or near housing).

Then, researchers set up a habitat-sampling plot. The plot is a 12 meter x 12meter square with a series of 25 pointsplaced in five rows of five. Each point isthree meters apart. The object thattriggered the habitat sampling, such as abed or a kill, is at the very center point ofthe plot.

Researchers take measurements ateach of the 25 points including:

• Snow depth (SD)—This is measuredvertically in centimeters.

• Understory—This is measured holding apole from the top of snow to 150 cmabove the snow. At each point,researchers record all species of shrubs,trees and coarse woody debris (CWD)that touch the pole (or are within 2inches of it) and are visible above thesnow. This information is recorded foreach species at three different heightranges (0–0.5 m, 0.51–1.0 m, 1.01–1.5m). Researchers use a two or three-lettercode to identify the plant species. Theylist the code once for each height rangelike this:

• Overstory—This is measured with asighting tube that is somewhat like aperiscope. It is a curved piece of PVCpipe with a viewing end and a crosshairmade of wire on the other end. Theobjective is to record what species oftrees (branches) are directly above the point. If no special equipment isavailable, the biologist looks straight up.

• Trees by DBH Class—Finally, all thetrees in the habitat plot are recorded.Both live and dead trees (snags) arecounted. The researcher records thespecies of tree and its diameter at breastheight (DBH). To be consistent, DBH ismeasured at four feet above ground.DBH is measured in inches.

1 6 11 16 21

2 7 12 17 22

3 8 x 18 23

4 9 14 19 24

5 10 15 20 25

12 m

15 m

Plant Species CODE

Englemann Spruce ES

Subalpine Fir SF

Willow WI

Aspen AS

Lodgepole Pine LO

Coarse Woody Debris CWD

ES, WI, CWD ES, AS ES, SF, AS

ES 6 2 4 3 1ES Snag 0 0 0 1 0


Less

on 7

: It

’s A

Plo

t!

0–0.5 m0.5–1 m

1–1.5 m

# Understory Hits by Species/HeightPoint

SnowDepth (cm

)Overstory Species

B (6.1–12”)C (12.1–18”)

C (18.1–24”)Species

A (0–6”)

Number of Trees by DBH Class

Lynx Daily Tracking Log and Site-Scale Habitat Evaluation

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425

Date:________________Lynx ID:______________________

Time:________________

Site Location:______________________________________________________________

Slope:______________

Aspect:______________________Elevation:

____________

General Habitat Description:__________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Trackers:________________________________________________________________

Habitat Use:______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Other Animal Species:

! Bobcat

! Fox

! Snow

shoe Hare

! Coyote

! Elk

! Pine M

arten

! M

oose !

Deer !

Mountain Lion

! Squirrel

! W

easel

Other,list:________________________________________________________

Human Activity:(H =

High M =

Medium

L = Low

N = None)

__________________Activity:

____________________________________________

__________________Activity:

____________________________________________

__________________Activity:

____________________________________________

__________________Activity:

____________________________________________

Summ

ary:________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Comm

ents:__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

E (>24”)



While following lynx number ___, yourresearch team has come across a sitethat was used by the feline in a specificway. Set up a study plot and completethe Lynx Daily Tracking Log and Site-Scale Habitat Evaluation form. You mayhave other tree species than those listed,so feel free to make up your own two-letter code for each species.

After you have completed the habitatevaluation and completed the form, youwill need to analyze the information.

1. Compute Average Snow Depth:

If your site had snow, determine theaverage depth and the variance.

Average: Sum of all snow depths taken ateach point ÷ 25 points

____________________________________

Variance: The shallowest and the deepestmeasurements

____________________________________

2. Analyze Understory Data

a. Determine the PercentOccurrence of UnderstoryVegetation. To do this, addtogether the number of points thathad an understory and divide thatsum by the total points surveyed(25). For example, if 5 of your 25points had understory, that wouldbe 20 percent occurrence.

b. Now, determine the PercentOccurrence of UnderstoryVegetation by Plant Species foreach Height (low is 0–50centimeters above ground orsnow, medium is 0.51–1.0 metersabove ground or snow, and highis 1.1–1.5 meters above ground orsnow). For example, let’s say that10 of the 25 points hadEngelmann spruce in theunderstory at low height (0–50cm), then the percent occurrenceof Engelmann spruce at lowheight is 40 percent.

Habitat Analysis

It’s A Plot!

PERCENT OCCURRENCE OF UNDERSTORY VEGETATION BY SPECIES (SP)

Sp:

Low Height

Medium Height

High Height

Sp: Sp: Sp: Sp: Sp:


Less

on 7

: It

’s A

Plo

t!

3. Analyze Overstory Data

For each species, determine the PercentOccurrence of the Overstory Vegetation.To do this, sum the number of points thathad an overstory of that species directlyabove the point and divide that sum bythe total points surveyed (25). Forexample, if your research team could lookup and see subalpine fir overstory directlyabove 16 out of 25 points, then thepercent overstory occurrence of subalpinefir would be 64 percent.

4. Analyze Tree Composition of Plots

Tree Composition is the mix of trees thatare actually growing in the study plot.Transfer the information from your Site-Scale Habitat Evaluation form to this table.

PERCENT OCCURRENCE OF OVERSTORY VEGETATION BY SPECIES (SP)

Sp: Sp: Sp: Sp: Sp: Sp:

Sp:

0–6” DBH

6.1–12” DBH

12.1–18” DBH

Sp: Sp: Sp: Sp: Sp:

18.1–24” DBH

>24” DBH

TREE COMPOSITION



5. Compare Your Results

In year three of the lynx reintroduction,researchers completed 473 site-scalehabitat plot evaluations. They used theirinformation to compile several graphs:

Mean (average) percent cover of habitat plot by understorytree/shrub species Engelmann spruce (ES), subalpine fir (SF),willow (WI), aspen (AS), lodgepole pine (LO), and coarse woodydebris (CWD). Mean percent cover is estimated for 3 heightlevels above the snow.

a. What was the most commonunderstory species in habitat usedby lynx in year three?

__________________________________

b. What was the most commonunderstory species in your habitat?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

Percent plots with overstory tree species Engelmann spruce(ES), subalpine fir (SF), willow (WI), aspen (AS), lodgepole pine(LO), and coarse woody debris (CWD). Mean percent overstorycover if tree species present.

c. What was the most commonoverstory species in the plotssampled by researchers in yearthree?

__________________________________

d. Which species, if present in a plot,provided the most cover in a plot?

__________________________________

e. What was the most commonoverstory species in your habitatplot?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

SPECIES

PERC

ENT

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0ES SF CWD WI AS LO

LowMediumHigh

PERCENT PLOTSWITH THESE SPECIES

PERC

ENT

100908070605040302010

0MEAN PERCENT COVER

IF SPECIES PRESENT

ESES SnagSFSF Snag

ASAS SnagWILO

Understory

Overstory


Less

on 7

: It

’s A

Plo

t!

Percent of habitat plots with tree species Engelmann spruce(ES), subalpine fire (SF), willow (WI), aspen (AS), lodgepole pine(LO), and coarse woody debris (CWD) by diameter at breast

height (DBH) size class.

f. What two trees are most commonlyfound in the habitat plots in yearthree?

__________________________________

__________________________________

g. In general, were these young treesor old trees? How do you know?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

h. What were the two most commontrees found in your habitat plot?

__________________________________

i. Why do researchers collect somuch information about siteswhere lynx hunt, rest, den, andmark territories? How will theyapply their findings to managementpractices?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________

SPECIES

PERC

ENT

100908070605040302010

0ES SF CWD WI AS LO

0–6” DBH6.1–12” DBH12.1–18” DBH18.1–24” DBH>24” DBH

Subalpine Fir

Tree Composition



Notes

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________


Less

on 8

: Se

ven

Step

s to

Suc

cess


• Describe the seven indicatorsof a successful species reintro-duction program.

• Provide evidence of milestonestowards lynx recovery.

• Present an overview of the lynxreintroduction effort in a writtenor oral format.

BackgroundSince the lynx reintroduction

effort is a current scientificendeavor, new information iscontinually available on theColorado Division of Wildlife’sWeb site. In this activity, studentsgather the latest data on theproject and discuss the status ofthe recovery effort. As the closingactivity, students review whatthey have learned about lynx andthe reintroduction effort andpresent an overview of the entireunit in a written or oral format.

Teaching Strategies1. Thoroughly read the studentmaterials for Seven Steps toSuccess.

2. Give each student a readingand activity packet.

3. After giving studentssufficient time to read the packet,assign the questions to indi-viduals or groups.

4. As a class, discuss theanswers. Colorado’s efforts tobring back the lynx are currentlyachieving many milestones.Recommend that students checkthe Web site periodically to followthis historic effort.

5. Revisit the questions thatstudents developed for LessonTwo, Planning the “Purrrfect”Comeback. Do students haveany questions left unanswered? If so, ask students to check theDOW Web site again and answerthose questions.


Seven Steps To Success

SummaryStudents retrieve new and archived information from the

Colorado Division of Wildlife Web site to documentachievements in lynx reintroduction efforts.


VocabularyFidelity

Recruitment

Lesson 8

114


Lesson 8: Seven Steps to Success


• Access to theInternet (from

classroom, schoolcomputer center,

local library, or home)


for Seven Stepsto Success, one

photocopy per student.

Assessment• Students, as individuals or in

groups, should present anoverview of all they havelearned about the lynx reintro-duction in a written or oralformat.

Extensions• Students can research other

lynx reintroduction efforts, orefforts to reintroduce otherspecies, and compare theresults of those efforts to thelynx project.

Key1. Was the first lynx releaseprotocol successful? Why or whynot? If any changes were made,what were they? In what year didbiologists have a successfulrelease protocol? The first year,too many of the newly releasedlynx died of starvation. Aftercarefully monitoring andanalyzing the situation, biol-ogists devised a new releaseprotocol. Lynx now acclimatein pens in Colorado for at leasta month, they are well fed andtheir health is closelymonitored. Release now occursafter April 1 when the lynx arein peak condition and whenfood sources are abundant andeasily captured. The secondyear of the program, 2000, isconsidered the year when biol-ogists had a successful releaseprotocol.

2. What is the current status oflynx in Colorado? Find the infor-mation on the Web site tocomplete these charts: Answersto charts will change eachyear. Updates on lynx statusare posted on the ColoradoDivision of Wildlife’s Web site.

3. What do the charts and otherinformation posted on the Website tell us about fidelity? Aremost lynx staying in the researcharea? Most of the lynx knownto be alive are in the researcharea, so they have developedfidelity to the research area.

4. Has there been evidence ofbreeding or reproduction? If so,complete this chart with the mostcurrent information: There isevidence of breeding andreproduction. The first kittenswere found in 2003. Answers tothe chart will change eachyear. Updates on lynx statusare posted on the ColoradoDivision of Wildlife’s Web site.

5. What evidence, if any, is thereof recruitment of Colorado bornkittens to the breeding popu-lation? 2005 is the first yearthat kittens born in Coloradowill be able to breed. Staytuned to the Web site for thelatest news on this issue.

6. Is there a viable population oflynx in Colorado? When do youpredict there will be? No, as of2005, there is not a viablebreeding population of lynx inColorado. Predictions will vary.Look for a logical response.

Lesson 8


Less

on 8

: Se

ven

Step

s to

Suc

cess

Student Pages

Seven Steps To Success

The Seven Steps to SuccessIt is said that a journey of a thousand

miles begins with a single step. The samething can be said about species recovery.It can be a long and arduous process.Seven huge, important steps must beachieved before the lynx reintroduction inColorado is considered successful.

The first step is to develop successfulrelease protocols that ensure the highestprobability of survival for each individuallynx released. Next, introduced lynx mustbe able to survive for extended periods inthe wild. Third, the lynx must developfidelity to a specific area—they have toremain in the area where biologists wantto reestablish a population. Then, biol-ogists look for evidence of breedingbehavior. They look for males and

females to establish overlapping territoriesand be observed spending time together.The fifth step is reproduction—kittens areborn. If these kittens survive, mature, andproduce young of their own, they add tothe new lynx population—a term biologistscall recruitment. Finally, when lynxrecruitment exceeds mortality, and thereare enough breeding age lynx so that

there is no need for wildlife managers toreintroduce any more lynx, the seventhstep—viability—has been reached.Once a self-sustaining viable popu-lation of lynx roams Colorado, thespecies is considered recovered.

Celebrating SuccessBiologists, and indeed

many other Coloradans,celebrate each milestone onthe road to lynx recovery.Usually, they want theentire world to know allabout it. Press releases aresent out and usually tele-vision, radio, and news-papers broadcast the latest

achievement.

Many of the seven steps have alreadybeen achieved. You can track the progresstowards a viable lynx population on theColorado Division of Wildlife’s Web sitehttp://wildlife.state.co.us using the sameprocedures you used in Lesson Two,Planning the “Purrfect” Comeback forLynx. Scan the “News & Media” section toanswer the following questions.

VIABILITY

RECRUITMENT

REPRODUCTION

BREEDING BEHAVIOR

FIDELITY

SURVIVAL

RELEASE



1. Was the first lynx release protocolsuccessful? Why or why not? If anychanges were made, what were they? Inwhat year did biologists have a successfulrelease protocol?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the current status of lynx inColorado? Find the information on theWeb site to complete these charts:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Females

Released

(-) Known Dead

(=) Possibly Dead

Missing*

Tracking

STATUS OF ADULT LYNX REINTRODUCED TO COLORADO SINCE 1999

Males Unknown TOTALS

Cause of Death

Unknown

Starvation

Hit by Vehicle

Probable Hit by Vehicle

Shot

Probable Shot

Probable Predation

Other Human Caused

Plague

Illness

Total Mortalities

CAUSE OF DEATH FOR ADULT LYNXRELEASED INTO SOUTHWESTERN

COLORADO SINCE 1999

Number of Mortalities

*Researchers cannot pick up radio signals from missing lynx and do not know thelocations of these animals. Either their collar batteries have died or the collars arestill functioning and the lynx have moved outside the research area.


Less

on 8

: Se

ven

Step

s to

Suc

cess

3. What do the charts and other infor-mation posted on the Web site tell usabout fidelity? Are most lynx staying in theresearch area?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Has there been evidence of breedingor reproduction? If so, complete this chartwith the most current information:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Female ID

Total

Males Females Total

Number of Kittens

Release Year

Previous Litters(Year/Number of

Kittens)



5. What evidence, if any, is there ofrecruitment of Colorado born kittens to thebreeding population?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________

6. Is there a viable population of lynx inColorado? When do you predict there willbe?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________


Less

on 8

: Se

ven

Step

s to

Suc

cess


Glossary

Aerial search: a search for an animal usingan aircraft

Adaptation: anatomical, physiological, orbehavioral changes that improve a popu-lation’s ability to survive

Backtrack: to hike along the animal tracks inthe opposite direction that the animal ismoving

Bag limit: legal allowance of a specifiednumber of fish or animals that can beharvested within a certain time limit

Biogeography: the study of the distributionand population changes of a species

Biome: a community with distinct vegetationand climate

Biotic potential: maximum rate at which thepopulation of a given species can increasewhen there are no limiting factors

Blow down: trees pushed down by wind orstorms

Boreal: the northern-most broad band ofmixed coniferous and deciduous trees thatstretches across North America, Europe,and Asia

Browse: twigs, leaves, and plants or shrubsthat are fit for animals to eat

Candidate species: federal designation forspecies that are at risk of becomingthreatened or endangered

Carnivore: meat eater

Carry capacity: the number of individuals of aspecies that a given environment cansupport

Census method: a method used to count thenumber of a certain population

Circumboreal: high latitude forests that circlethe globe

Circumpolar: circling the North Pole

Colonization: to establish a population in anew location

Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW): stateagency devoted to protecting andpreserving Colorado’s wildlife

Competition: rivalry between two animalsover demand for limited resources suchas, territory, food, opposite sex

Control group: a group that receives noexperimental treatment

Controlled experiment: a scientific investi-gation during which an experimental groupis compared to a control group

Conterminous 48 States: all U.S. statesexcluding Alaska and Hawaii

Cover type: type of plants found at a location

Deadfall: dead trees that have fallen down inthe forest

Density: number of individuals in a certainarea

Dependent variable: variable that ismeasured

Dispersal: to travel somewhere else

Distribution: how individuals are arranged inan area

Emigrate: when individuals move out of apopulation

Endangered: at risk of becoming extinct

Endangered Species Act (ESA): a federallaw passed in 1973 that seeks to preventplants and animals from becoming extinctin this country

Experimental group: a group that receivessome type of experimental treatment

Extirpated: missing from native range, but notextinct

Extinct: no longer exists

Glossary


Glos

sary

Features: physical characteristics

Fidelity: staying in a particular area; estab-lishing a home range

Foot loading: body weight to foot-surfacearea ratio

Forbs: flowering plants

Game animal: animals that people can legallyhunt, trap, or fish

Generalist: species which utilize a broadrange of habitat components to meet theirneeds (such as eating a wide variety ofprey)

Habitat: the arrangement of food, water,cover and space suitable to an animalsneeds

Harvest: to take animals by hunting ortrapping

Herbivore: plant eaters

Home range: the area an animal travels in thescope of its normal activities

Hypothesis: an explanation that may be true,and can be tested by additional obser-vations or experimentation

Immigrate: when individuals move into apopulation

Independent variable: the factor that ischanged in an experiment

Indigenous: living or occurring naturally in anarea; native to that area

Island: isolated body of land

Island biogeography: the study of the distri-bution and population changes of speciesin and isolated ecosystem

Leveret: baby snowshoe hare

Limiting factor: anything that limits thegrowth of the population

Mesic: dry

Mesocarnivore: mid-sized meat eater

Metapopulation: groups of subpopulations ofa species living on habitat patches(islands) separated from a larger sourcepopulation

Model: an imitation of the key characteristicsof a real population

Mortality signal: a signal on radio telemetryequipment that indicates that the animalbeing tracked has not moved in a giventime period and may be dead

Natural resource: raw materials supplied bythe Earth and its processes such as,minerals, state lands, parks, oil and gas,forests, water and wildlife

Niche: the function of a species in anecosystem

Observation: information obtained by usingthe senses

Overstory: the top forest layer formed by theleaves and branches of trees

Pelt: preserved animal skin or fur

Peninsula: an extension of a specificecosystem, often surrounded on threesides by dissimilar ecosystems

Population: all the individuals of a speciesthat live in a particular place at a particulartime

Population dynamics: changes in density,size, and dispersion of a population

Population model: a model that allowsscientists to predict how a population willchange

Predator: an animal that kills and eats otheranimals

Prey: animals that are hunted for food

Protocol: a plan of how to do something

Radio telemetry equipment: equipment usedto track animals remotely

Receiving system: part of the radio telemetryequipment used by the operator, which isset to a specific frequency so that if theoperator is in range of the animal, he orshe should hear a signal from the trans-mitting system


GlossaryRecolonization: the process of reestablishing

subpopulations in areas the speciespreviously occupied

Recovered: populations large enough andhealthy enough to be self-sustaining in thewild

Recovery plan: a plan developed to recoverthreatened or endangered species

Recruitment: animals being added to apopulation

Regenerating: reproducing; re-establishing

Reintroduction: an attempt to re-establish aspecies in an area that was once part ofits historical range, but from which it hasbeen extirpated

Scat: feces left by an animal

Season: certain times of year people mayhunt or fish

Sign: any indication of an animal’s passagethrough or use of an area

Size: number of individuals in a population

Source population: an area where the mainconcentrated population of a speciesresides. Animals may disperse from thisarea to other locations

Specialist: a species that uses a narrowrange of habitat components to meet itsneeds (i.e. may eat only one prey species)

Species of special concern: Colorado’sdesignation for species that are at risk ofbecoming threatened or endangered

Subalpine forest: forests found in very high-mountain environments with elevationsover 9,000 feet, just below tree line

Subpopulation: an identifiable portion of alarger population

Succession: the gradual change in a livingcommunity (i.e. aging of trees,replacement of one species with another)

Synchronous: an event happening at thesame time in the same manner

Terrestrial: growing or living on land

Territories: areas animals defend againstothers of the same species

Threatened: species not in immediate peril ofextinction, but vulnerable because theyexist in small numbers or in such a limitedrange that they may become endangered

Transmitting system: a portion of the radiotelemetry equipment that includes a radiotransmitter, a battery, and an antenna all inone unit

Understory: the layer of shrubs, small trees,and other plants on the forest floor

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS):the federal wildlife agency that managesmarine mammals, and migratory species,such as songbirds and waterfowl, becausethey cross state or national boundaries

Viable population: a population large enoughto be self-sustaining

Wildlife management: the application ofscientific knowledge and technical skills toprotect, preserve, conserve, limit, enhanceor extend the value of wildlife and itshabitat


Not

es

Notes

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

Return Of The Snow Cat - cpw.state.co.us€¦ · Lesson 6: No Cat Is An Island Lesson 7: It’s A...

Documents

Transcript of Return Of The Snow Cat - cpw.state.co.us€¦ · Lesson 6: No Cat Is An Island Lesson 7: It’s A...