Lynx, bobcat study seeks help from hunters, hikers

Hunters and hikers are being asked to send their wildlife snapshots to researchers at the University of B.C. Okanagan for a study of the modern and historic range of two carnivorous cats.

Biology masters student T.J. Gooliaff is studying the range of bobcats and lynx and charting their response to climate change.

“We are trying to figure out if either species has shifted its range in response to changes in snowfall and snow melt,” he said.

Gooliaff will attempt to coax information on the historic range of the animals, from fur harvest records that go back decades.

Provincial trap line data on lynx and bobcats go back to 1985, but some regional records date back to the 1920s.

The cats are typically separated by snow depth. The long-legged, flat-pawed lynx sticks to snowier boreal forests in the north, and the bobcat, with short legs and small paws, is confined to the southern part of the province.

“Lynx are well-adapted for deep snow with large, snowshoe-like paws,” he said. “But with earlier springs and lower snow levels, I suspect the bobcat range has moved north and into higher elevations.”

To form a snapshot of the current range of each animal, the researchers are asking the public to send in current photographs of bobcats and lynx along with the date and detailed information on the location of the animal. Images from trail cameras and even holiday snapshots are potentially useful.

Geographical information such GPS co-ordinates, distance and direction to known landmarks, nearby street addresses and hunting management unit information can be used to pinpoint the location and elevation on a GIS (geographical information system) map.

Gooliaff plans to create a series of distribution maps at five- or 10-year intervals. Forward photos of any quality along with details about where they were taken to tj.gooliaff@ubc.ca.