{"id":42177,"date":"2024-10-03T10:03:09","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T08:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/5087c2e5-3d64-4e3e-9ef9-701c6b8351cc"},"modified":"2024-10-03T11:27:28","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T09:27:28","slug":"a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means\/","title":{"rendered":"A ‘wave’ of lynx is moving across Alaska, say scientists. Here’s what that means"},"content":{"rendered":"

A groundbreaking new study has unveiled the dynamic movements of Canada lynx populations across Alaska\u2019s wild landscapes. <\/p>

By Daniel Graham\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 03 October 2024 at 08:03 AM<\/p>

\n\n

A fascinating new study has shed light on the mysterious population dynamics of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis<\/em><\/strong>) in Alaska\u2019s interior, revealing a \u2018travelling population wave\u2019 that impacts their breeding, movements and survival. <\/strong><\/p>

The discovery \u2013 published<\/a> in the\u00a0Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em> \u2013 could play a crucial role in helping wildlife managers make smarter decisions about protecting this iconic predator of the boreal forest.<\/p>

The Canada lynx is one of the four living species of lynx\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The concept of a ‘travelling population wave’ refers to the way animal populations rise and fall, rippling through a region like a wave, explains Derek Arnold, lead investigator of the study.<\/p>
In the case of the Canada lynx, this cycle is closely tied to the fluctuating numbers of their main prey, the snowshoe hare, which goes through a boom-and-bust pattern every 10 to 12 years. When hare numbers increase, lynx thrive, but as soon as their prey declines due to food shortages, lynx populations follow suit \u2013 typically lagging a year or two behind.<\/p>
Arnold and his team conducted their research between 2018 and 2022, right as the hare population was peaking. Their work tracked the reproduction, movements and survival of 143 lynx across five wildlife refuges \u2013 Tetlin, Yukon Flats, Kanuti and Koyukuk (all in Interior Alaska), as well as Gates of the Arctic National Park \u2013 with GPS collars providing valuable insight into how lynx respond to the prey population’s decline.<\/p>
$\"Snowshoe$
Snowshoe hares are the pain prey of the Canada lynx\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Rabbit vs hare: what’s the difference?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
The lynx\u2019s response to the snowshoe hare collapse played out in three distinct phases, starting in the east and sweeping westward across the landscape \u2013 clear evidence of the travelling wave.<\/p>
First, researchers observed a sharp drop in reproduction. When the study began, some dens contained up to eight kittens, but as the hare population dropped, the lynx\u2019s ability to reproduce disappeared entirely by the end of the study.<\/p>
Next, the lynx began to disperse. In search of better conditions, these agile predators left their territories, crossing mountain ranges and even rivers in their quest for food. One adventurous lynx travelled nearly 1,000 miles to the Alberta border, showing just how far they\u2019ll go when resources dry up.<\/p>
In the final stage, lynx survival rates plummeted. Interestingly, those that travelled eastward, against the population wave, had higher mortality rates, while those that went westward or stayed put fared better.<\/p>
$\"Tetlin$
The study took place across five wildlife refuges, including the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Arnold notes that while these findings align with what local trappers and hunters have long observed, the data offers concrete evidence and a broader view of the phenomenon. “We\u2019ve known lynx and hares are linked by this 10- to 12-year cycle, but this study helps us see how it moves across the landscape,” he says.<\/p>
Understanding that this cycle typically sweeps from east to west makes lynx population trends more predictable. Wildlife managers can now make more informed, localised decisions about lynx conservation, rather than treating the entire state as one unit.<\/p>
A key takeaway from the study is the importance of protected areas. Lynx that leave their home territories during population crashes often don\u2019t survive, highlighting the role that refuges play in safeguarding these animals through tough times.<\/p>
The study<\/a> was published in the\u00a0Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em>.<\/p>
**More wild stories from around the world<\/strong><\/p>**
**EU votes to reduce protection for wolves<\/a><\/li>**
**Strange new toad with hypnotic eyes found in Vietnam’s Ho\u00e0ng Li\u00ean mountains<\/a><\/li>**
**Octopuses are punching fish. Here’s why<\/a><\/li>**
Rare Amur tigers return to Kazakhstan<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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A groundbreaking new study has unveiled the dynamic movements of Canada lynx populations across Alaska\u2019s wild landscapes. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":42178,"template":"","categories":[1,241],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means.jpg",2121,1414,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A groundbreaking new study has unveiled the dynamic movements of Canada lynx populations across Alaska\u2019s wild landscapes.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/42177"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

The Canada lynx is one of the four living species of lynx\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The concept of a ‘travelling population wave’ refers to the way animal populations rise and fall, rippling through a region like a wave, explains Derek Arnold, lead investigator of the study.<\/p>
In the case of the Canada lynx, this cycle is closely tied to the fluctuating numbers of their main prey, the snowshoe hare, which goes through a boom-and-bust pattern every 10 to 12 years. When hare numbers increase, lynx thrive, but as soon as their prey declines due to food shortages, lynx populations follow suit \u2013 typically lagging a year or two behind.<\/p>
Arnold and his team conducted their research between 2018 and 2022, right as the hare population was peaking. Their work tracked the reproduction, movements and survival of 143 lynx across five wildlife refuges \u2013 Tetlin, Yukon Flats, Kanuti and Koyukuk (all in Interior Alaska), as well as Gates of the Arctic National Park \u2013 with GPS collars providing valuable insight into how lynx respond to the prey population’s decline.<\/p>
$\"Snowshoe$
Snowshoe hares are the pain prey of the Canada lynx\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Rabbit vs hare: what’s the difference?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
The lynx\u2019s response to the snowshoe hare collapse played out in three distinct phases, starting in the east and sweeping westward across the landscape \u2013 clear evidence of the travelling wave.<\/p>
First, researchers observed a sharp drop in reproduction. When the study began, some dens contained up to eight kittens, but as the hare population dropped, the lynx\u2019s ability to reproduce disappeared entirely by the end of the study.<\/p>
Next, the lynx began to disperse. In search of better conditions, these agile predators left their territories, crossing mountain ranges and even rivers in their quest for food. One adventurous lynx travelled nearly 1,000 miles to the Alberta border, showing just how far they\u2019ll go when resources dry up.<\/p>
In the final stage, lynx survival rates plummeted. Interestingly, those that travelled eastward, against the population wave, had higher mortality rates, while those that went westward or stayed put fared better.<\/p>
$\"Tetlin$
The study took place across five wildlife refuges, including the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Arnold notes that while these findings align with what local trappers and hunters have long observed, the data offers concrete evidence and a broader view of the phenomenon. “We\u2019ve known lynx and hares are linked by this 10- to 12-year cycle, but this study helps us see how it moves across the landscape,” he says.<\/p>
Understanding that this cycle typically sweeps from east to west makes lynx population trends more predictable. Wildlife managers can now make more informed, localised decisions about lynx conservation, rather than treating the entire state as one unit.<\/p>
A key takeaway from the study is the importance of protected areas. Lynx that leave their home territories during population crashes often don\u2019t survive, highlighting the role that refuges play in safeguarding these animals through tough times.<\/p>
The study<\/a> was published in the\u00a0Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em>.<\/p>
**More wild stories from around the world<\/strong><\/p>**
**EU votes to reduce protection for wolves<\/a><\/li>**
**Strange new toad with hypnotic eyes found in Vietnam’s Ho\u00e0ng Li\u00ean mountains<\/a><\/li>**
**Octopuses are punching fish. Here’s why<\/a><\/li>**
Rare Amur tigers return to Kazakhstan<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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A groundbreaking new study has unveiled the dynamic movements of Canada lynx populations across Alaska\u2019s wild landscapes. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":42178,"template":"","categories":[1,241],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means.jpg",2121,1414,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/10\/a-wave-of-lynx-is-moving-across-alaska-say-scientists-heres-what-that-means-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A groundbreaking new study has unveiled the dynamic movements of Canada lynx populations across Alaska\u2019s wild landscapes.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/42177"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}