Fish and Wildlife proposes first lynx habitat protections in southern Rockies
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a recovery plan just before Thanksgiving and proposed new critical habitat for threatened Canada lynx, reaching into the southern Rockies for the first time. The proposal would protect 7,679 square miles across Colorado and portions of San Juan County, New Mexico. It comes after 218 lynx were reintroduced into Colorado between 1999 and 2006, and after conservation groups won two lawsuits pushing the agency to act. "The science and the law support critical habitat protections for lynx in the southern Rockies," said Matthew Bishop, senior attorney at the Western Environmental Law Center.
Colorado's reintroduced lynx population would get federal habitat protection in the southern Rockies for the first time, as the region's habitat comes under growing pressure from climate change.
Source: Feds finalize Canada lynx recovery plan, propose first-ever habitat protections in CO, NM (wildearthguardians.org). Spotted via Good Good Good.
Written by the HappyGood desk from the primary source linked above and checked against it. Every story links its source. Corrections: [email protected].