Conservation Northwest

Conservation Northwest updates Derrick Knowles Conservation associate, dknowles@conservationnw.org Eastside Volunteers monitor wildlife Looking for lynx and wolverines in the Kettles In northeast Washington, five teams of volunteers recently wrapped up winter monitoring for Canada lynx and wolverine in northeast Washington. The monitoring stations were set up in several locations in the Kettle River Range, Selkirk Mountains, and Wedge area (a wedge of land between the Kettle and Columbia rivers) near where lynx and wolverines have been sighted in recent years. Remote cameras and hair snares collect genetic information about the targeted animals' relationship to other nearby populations. Based on trapping records, the Kettles supported an abundance of lynx several decades ago before heavy trapping is thought to have nearly wiped them out. No lynx were documented in a recent three-year intensive Forest Service monitoring effort in the Kettles. However, a lynx was detected by biologists in the Kettles as recently as 2007, and snowshoe hares, the primary food source for lynx and an indicator of good quality lynx habitat, are abundant in many parts of the Kettle River Range. Federal critical habitat designation for lynx in 2009 left out quality habitat in northeast Washington, an omission that Conservation Northwest and other conservation groups hope to correct. Conservation Northwest's citizen wildlife monitors put boots and cameras on the ground in search of lynx in the Kettle and Selkirk mountains. Efforts this year engaged new and veteran volunteers and turned up photos of a bobcat, snowshoe hares, and other wildlife but, unfortunately, no lynx. Another remote camera targeting wolverines was set with a baited run pole embellished with wire brushes to collect hair samples in an area of the Wedge north of Kettle Falls where a lone wolverine was caught on video last winter. No wolverine was captured on film or by brush this season, but wolverines are known to use the subalpine habitats of the Rossland Range just north of the border and animals could continue to visit the Wedge where increased wolf kills may be providing a new food source for this resourceful and tenacious carnivore. The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed protecting wolverines as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Conservation Northwest helped start the process for protection more than a decade ago during the recent comment period helped generate hundreds of the thousands of comments submitted in support of the wolverine listing. Volunteer Kayla Oliver checks her camera and scratch pad station in lynx habitat near Colville. No lynx so far, but she is hopeful. Crystal Gartner Federal critical habitat designation for lynx in 2009 left out quality habitat in northeast Washington, an omission that Conservation Northwest and other conservation groups hope to correct. In the coming year, Conservation Northwest plans to work with various public lands and wildlife agencies to continue engaging volunteers in monitoring efforts for lynx and wolverine in northeast Washington—and potentially in British Columbia just north of the Canadian-US border. Black bear scratches an itch at a remote camera station on Alligator Ridge. Feels good! Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Project We need you in the field! Live in northeast Washington and want to volunteer to find lynx, wolverines, and bears? Contact Derrick Knowles, dknowles@conservationnw.org. Keeping the Northwest wild Spring-Summer 2013 17

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