Rare wild cat continues to roam New England after 1st confirmed sighting in years, officials say
Ben Madilynn
A rare wild cat not seen in New England in six years continues to roam the region after a confirmed sighting of the elusive animal over the summer, wildlife officials said.
Many reports, including verifiable photos and videos, indicate that a Canada lynx is on the move in Vermont, according to biologists with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
The lynx has moved about 60 miles north of where it was first sighted in Rutland County into Addison County, traveling around a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same general area for several days before moving on, biologists said in an update on Friday.
Rutland County Lynx 2024 cred. Gary Shattuck
🐾 RARE NATIVE WILD CAT SPOTTED IN RUTLAND COUNTY! 🐾 Giant back feet? Check! All black tail tip? Check! Telltale upward sloping hind quarters? Check! That’s no bobcat, it’s a Canada Lynx! Canada lynx are a federally threatened species and they’re elusive even in Maine and New Hampshire where they’re more common than our neck of the woods. Here in Vermont, lynx are also a state endangered species, rarely seen at all and almost never outside of the Northeast Kingdom. That makes any verifiable sighting in our state a big deal! It’s easy to confuse lynx for their much more common look-alike, the bobcat. In fact we get quite a few reported lynx that just turn out to be bobs (pro tip: the all black tail tip is your best clue for distinguishing the two, bobs have both black and white on their tails). That said, every once in a blue moon an alleged lynx report turns out to be the real thing – as was the case with this lanky individual caught on film in Rutland County on August 17th. About this particular lynx: yes, it’s on the thinner side, but that’s not cause for alarm. Neither is the fact that it’s so calm about a nearby vehicle and observer. Lynx are a northwoods species and this one was most likely a young male just passing through southern Vermont on the search for new territory, a behavior called “dispersing.” During their demanding journey, a dispersing lynx like this is mostly focused on finding food and avoiding conflicts with local wildlife. If people don’t bother it, it won’t be too worried about people. On that note, we suspect this individual has moved on from Rutland County at this point. Dispersing lynx can cover incredible distances in very little time. And thanks to Vermont’s network of intact and interconnected wild lands, wildlife can move pretty easily from one prime habitat to another. We wish this lynx luck, wherever they are going! 📷 Our heartfelt thanks to Gary Shattuck for making our week with this report, and for allowing us to share his incredible video!
Posted by Vermont Fish & Wildlife on Wednesday, August 21, 2024
“We’ve had 15 confirmed lynx sightings since August and signs point to these all being the same dispersing juvenile male,” furbearer biologist Brehan Furfey said in a statement. “The lynx has moved steadily north from Rutland County into Addison County. That’s a conservation success in its own right because Vermont’s network of protected lands is what makes this journey possible.”
Canada lynx are a federally threatened species and anyone who sees the lynx is asked to give the cat a respectful amount of space, the department stressed.
“The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” Furfey explained. “Keeping a respectful distance is especially important for threatened or endangered species like Canada lynx which are protected by state and federal law. That said, we do want your photos or videos if you think you have crossed paths with a lynx and are able to get a clear view on your phone or camera without disturbing it.”
Vermonters who are confident they have a photo or video of the lynx and not a closely related bobcat are urged to email the department.
“We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey added.
Since 2016, Furfey said the department has received over 160 reports of lynx, but only seven of these were confirmed.
The most recent credible report before the one in August was from Jericho in 2018.
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