FARMINGTON — Mark McCollough, the lead biologist with the USFWS for the Canada lynx in the Northeast, will be speaking about the lynx population in Maine this week. The talk will be Wednesday evening, May 13, at 7 p.m. in UMF Robert’s C23 classroom.

Maine is one of the few states in the lower 48 states that supports a breeding population of Canada lynx. Lynx are found also in northern Minnesota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, and Colorado.

In 2000 lynx were listed as Threatened by the USFWS in the lower 48 states. There are no standard methods available to assess lynx populations. They are reclusive animals that have large home ranges, thus their populations are difficult to assess over a large area. Nevertheless, northern Maine is believed to have the largest population of lynx in the lower 48 states (at least several hundred animals).

Mark will be discussing the status of the lynx in Maine and challenges to their future. How have changes in Maine’s forest industry affect lynx and their habitat? Why have lynx recently been documented breeding in parts of western Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont? Why has there been so much concern about trapping and Canada lynx? How will a warming climate affect lynx and their habitat? Why is there no recovery plan for the Canada lynx?