Population and habitat characteristics of lynx and snowshoe hares in north central Washington

Abstract

Lynx (Lynx canadensis) and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) population characteristics and use of habitats were studied during 1985–1987 in north central Washington. Lynx used areas above 1463 m elevation that were dominated by lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and Engelmann spruce – subalpine fir (Picea engelmannii – Abies lasiocarpa) cover types. Snowshoe hares were the most common prey of lynx, with remains of snowshoe hare occurring in 23 of 29 scats. Counts of tracks and pellets showed snowshoe hares to be most abundant in 20-year-old lodgepole pine stands. Fire suppression and natural fire frequencies in the past 5 decades has limited the amount of these early successional forests, which are important as habitat for snowshoe hares. Marginal habitat conditions for snowshoe hares probably resulted in a scarcity of prey in the study area and may explain the relatively large home ranges of lynx (69 ± 28 km2 for five males and 39 ± 2 km2 for two females), low density of adults (2.3 lynx/100 km2), and high kitten mortality rates (88% for eight kittens in three litters). Demographic characteristics of lynx in the study area may be representative of lynx populations along the southern periphery of their range where habitat conditions are marginal for lynx and snowshoe hares.

Food Habits of the Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) in Korea

“…1983, Mowat 1993, Poole 1994. Koehler (1990a) found low recruitment rates of around 12% from 1980-1987 in mature forest in north-central Washington (sub-optimal habitat at the southern edge of lynx range).…”

“…Poole (1994) obtained very similar figures for his study area in the Northwest Terrritories: 30 lynx per 100 km2 at the peak, and around 3/100 km2 the winter following the hare crash. In the south of their range, where snowshoe hare populations appear to be non-cyclic and stable at low densities, Koehler (1990a) reported lynx density at 2.6 individuals per 100 km2 (north-central Washington). The study was conducted in mature coniferous forest where fires had been suppressed, and the early successional growth preferred by snowshoe hares was limited to isolated pockets.…”

Ecology and conservation of lynx in the United States

“…The most consistent finding is that hares' use of habitats is correlated with understory cover-stands with shrubs, stands that are densely stocked, and stands at ages where branches have more lateral cover are more heavily used by hares (Black 1965;Litvaitis et al 1985a, b;Koehler 1990a;Swayze 1994, unpublished;Thomas et al 1997, unpublished). Overstory cover is sometimes correlated with hare habitat use patterns, but typically in cases where it is also significantly correlated with understory cover (Richmond and Chien 1976;.…”

“…Coyotes and lynx have kill rates comparable to the amount of time they spend in each habitat , and their hunting success rates may vary with cover type . These predators select habitats, but it is unclear whether they select habitats that have the highest prey densities Theberge and Wedeles 1989;Koehler 1990a; or habitats that are easier for them to traverse or hunt in . Although these analyses suggest that hare survival may vary among habitat types, the definitive test for hares is per capita survival in each habitat.…”

“…These studies indicate that predation is responsible for >90% of all hare deaths, a figure comparable to the predation rates found for northern hare populations Hodges et al in press). Both studies of hare mortality patterns and studies of predators indicate that southern hares are preyed upon by lynx, coyotes, bobcat, grey fox, great-horned owls, red fox, weasels, mink, marten, fisher, and goshawks (Zielinski et al 1983;Litvaitis 1986;Halpin and Bissonette 1988;Koehler 1990a;Erdman et al 1998). Southern forests also contain predators such as raccoons, skunks, feral cats and dogs, and snakes, but the extent to which these predators prey upon hares is unknown.…”