Defenders of Wildlife Blog

©Eyeliam/Flickr

Anderson Shepard, Conservation Planning Associate

Instead of wilderness and wildlife, could visitors to Glacier National Park soon be passing fields of wine grapes as they drive up to the gate? Not long ago, I helped author a study that suggests that by 2050, this could very well be the case. In the paper, titled “Climate Change, Wine, and Conservation” and published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), we looked at how rising temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns are affecting the delicate balance of temperature and moisture – the primary elements for growing high-quality wine grapes.

This map shows how the change in wine-producing country will overlap with wolf habitat. ©Anderson Shepard

Using climate models and an analysis of the current distribution, temperature and moisture requirements of high-quality wine grape varieties, we project that climate change will shrink the area suitable for wine production in some of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world, while opening up wine production in some unusual places. Alarmingly, we found that climate change could soon drive a massive expansion of agriculture into some of the most intact wildlife habitat in the U.S., impacting dozens of species.

Although I performed this research before coming to Defenders, its message is still wildlife-focused. Agriculture can be a huge driver of habitat loss and degradation, and Defenders has spent an enormous amount of time and energy advocating for policies and actions that would promote habitat conservation and coexistence between farmers, ranchers and wildlife, putting solutions in place to protect animals like bears and wolves. Climate change threatens to take this issue to a whole new level. Not only will it change the biophysical landscape and cause shifts in the existing natural assemblages of plants and animals, but, as this paper shows, it is expected to open a great deal of new land to agriculture, causing more natural areas to be developed and more wildlife habitat to be broken into pieces.

Canada lynx, ©Ken Curtis

The Northern Rockies is a region where we focus much of our work at Defenders. The region is flush with extensive tracts of wildlands, and it is the last remaining area in the Lower 48 that hosts a complete set of large carnivores – one of the few places you can find animals like bears, wolves, lynx and bobcats all together. Our study found that between 2000 and 2050, the land in the Northern Rockies suitable for viticulture (growing grapes for wine) will increase by more than 58 million acres. The next 50 years will likely be a trying period for species such as the Canada lynx, gray wolf and grizzly bear – these species are likely to see vineyards popping up all over their range over the next few decades. Wolves attempting to roam across long-established territory will find acres of it replaced with land that is useless to them. Bears, often captured or killed when caught taking advantage of orchards or other fruit crops, will be sorely tempted to wander into new vineyards looking for a meal, only to put themselves in danger. Combine that with the region’s continuing surge in development, and we see impacts on a scale that could dramatically alter these species’ ability to thrive in the region.

Grizzly bear, ©Michael S. Quinton, National Geographic stock

We could see these impacts on an even broader scale if the shift in lands suitable for vineyards also holds true for other agricultural crops. This could put even more species in danger, caught between a changing climate and the ever- expanding human footprint on the land. For the conservation community, the key is to spot these issues early on and help the relevant industries to plan carefully so that we can minimize the damage to wildlife. In fact, this is already happening in some regions where wine growers are working closely with conservationists to confront the environmental, cultural and economic challenges posed by a changing climate. It is up to individuals and organizations like us to ensure a future for wildlife despite the challenges of a changing climate.

You can read more on this study in The New York Times, CBS News and The Guardian.
You can also read the full report at PNAS.

Coast to Coast” is a summer blog series highlighting some of America’s most imperiled wildlife. By using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s new state-by-state endangered species map, we will tell stories about native plants and animals in unique landscapes where Defenders will be focusing its conservation efforts in coming years.

Imagine that you’re trudging through the heavy Colorado snow, hiking close to 10,000 feet. You suddenly spot what appears to be an overgrown house cat. You stop in your tracks, careful not to make a sound, peer closer and see it’s a Canada lynx. The lean grey form bounds through the snow on long legs after a snowshoe hare, the lynx’s favorite food. Its large paws keep the cat from sinking into the snow, while it listens with tufted ears to track the hare’s path.

Canada lynx are highly elusive forest cats that prey on snowshoe hares in remote alpine reaches of the Rockies.

A scene like this may be relatively common throughout Canada or Alaska, but it’s a rarity in the southern Rockies where life has been pretty rough for this mid-sized carnivore. Originally pursued by fur trappers, these critters nearly vanished from the southernmost portion of their range by the 1970s. However, in 2000 lynx were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and as a result lynx populations have started to recover. After a successful reintroduction program in Colorado (more on that later), an estimated 1,000 lynx are now spread across the U.S. from Washington to Colorado. But the Canada lynx is still threatened by habitat loss and other human activities including logging, collisions with vehicles, and trapping.

This species is famous in biology classes for its population cycles. If the snowshoe hare population goes up, a few years later the lynx population follows. Then more lynx eat more snowshoe hares, depleting the population and leaving less food for future generations. Thus the cat’s population goes down, and the cycle repeats itself. This cycle goes back and forth for each generation and keeps the populations in check. Unfortunately, for the last century or more, man has had his thumb on the scale, making it harder for lynx to rebound.

The cat’s population is spread thin, putting an already imperiled species at great risk. The lynx need higher elevation forests, filled with spruce, fir, or lodgepole pine, to survive. Unfortunately these forests are often depleted by excessive logging, mining, energy exploration, and even backcountry recreation. Lynx are relatively reclusive animals, so even the occasional thrill-seeking heli-skiier or seasonal mountain chalet may be enough to scare lynx away from vital habitat they might otherwise use for hunting, denning or finding a mate. And as the forest diminishes, so do the snowshoe hares, leaving lynx with little to eat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service explains the threats the lynx is facing in this podcast:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Thankfully, there have been some positive steps forward for the lynx in the past few years. In 1999 an initiative was launched to reintroduce the cat to Colorado. While this population followed the species’ typical ups and downs, overall it has been a huge success. In the past decade, more than 200 animals were released and 103 kittens were born. In 2009, the Forest Service added an amendment to eight regional management plans to soften human impacts of logging and other resource extraction and recreation on lynx.

While these are certainly steps in the right direction, sadly, this cold-loving critter could face more serious challenges as a result of climate change. The changing climate affects the type of snow that falls in its habitat, which could allow other predators to reduce snowshoe hare populations. Jeff Corwin explains in this video how climate change hurts these elusive cats:

For decades, Defenders of Wildlife has pushed for federal actions on key predators like the Canada lynx. Defenders recognizes that by preserving habitat and securing connectivity between vital areas, sparse populations will have more room to roam and a better shot at maintaining a healthy gene pool. The next step for lynx recovery is to secure a nationwide recovery plan that will allow these important predators to make a strong comeback in more places.

But we can only do so much. The American public barely knows about the Canada lynx or the trouble it’s in. That’s why raising awareness for this rare carnivore is a top priority–the more people that know about this cool cat, the brighter its future will be!

Each year, thousands of animals are killed while trying to cross Colorado’s highways, including elk, deer and mountain lions. In 2004, a female wolf that traveled all the way to Colorado from Yellowstone National Park was tragically hit by a car and killed while trying to cross Highway I-70. And since the reintroduction of the imperiled lynx to Colorado in 1999, 13 of the animals have been killed by collisions with cars.

But animals aren’t the only ones threatened by wildlife-vehicle collisions. These crashes cost Americans more than 200 lives and $8 billion every year.

Fortunately, Colorado has taken steps to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions on its roads—and Defenders helped!

Taking Action for Wildlife

During the spring of 2010, more than 3,500 Defenders of Wildlife supporters contacted their state legislators and urged them to support House Bill 1238, an important piece of legislation that will help save the lives of local wildlife and reduce costly—and potentially fatal—wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Since the reintroduction of the imperiled lynx to Colorado in 1999, 13 of the animals have been killed by collisions with cars.

HB1238 requires the Colorado Department of Transportation (with the CO Division of Wildlife and State Patrol) to identify “Wildlife Crossing Zones,” and post signs marking them for drivers. In these zones, nighttime speeds may be reduced to 55 mph and fines may be increased for drivers caught speeding, just as they are in construction zones on the highway.

When visibility is low at night, speed limits at wildlife crossing zones are lowered.

The CO Department of Transportation, Division of Wildlife and State Patrol have already identified several wildlife crossing zones around the state. So far, zones have been established and signs have been placed on Highway 24, just north of Buena Vista, and on U.S. Highway 550 near Durango.

Caitlin Balch-Burnett, Colorado Outreach Representative for Defenders of Wildlife said, “Alerting drivers to the presence of wildlife is a critical step towards keeping roads safe for people and animals alike. Thanks to the hard work of all involved to make these wildlife crossing zones a reality, travelers are given a key tool in protecting themselves and our state’s wildlife.”

In September, we posted an article about recent wins for lynx in the Northern Rockies, including the news that a lynx reintroduction program in Colorado had been deemed a success by state wildlife officials.

This post on the Summit County Citizens Voice blog provides more details about the program and includes several excellent photos—including one of “a bundle of lynx kittens.” Lynx lovers should definitely check it out!

“Protecting and enhancing Colorado’s wildlife heritage takes hard work and dedication,” said Gov. Bill Ritter. “I commend the Division of Wildlife for this accomplishment. It’s an example of what we can do when we have a vision and the will to see it through.”

Learn more about this fascinating feline on our lynx fact sheet.

Click to View Full Size

Show Your Support for Lynx!

For the price of shipping, you can order our new lynx poster. Just send an email to Defenders lynx expert, Dave Gaillard, with your address to show your support for America’s threatened cat.

The lynx uses its long legs and giant paws to hunt snowshoe hares during winter.

This month, Defenders helped score two major victories for protecting lynx in the Northern Rockies, paving the way for the recovery of this imperiled forest cat.

• On September 17, Colorado wildlife officials announced that its lynx reintroduction was indeed a success. The Denver Post reports that more than 200 lynx have been reintroduced since 1999 when the effort began. In 11 years, at least 141 kittens have been born in Colorado. No births were recorded in 2007, 50 were recorded in 2008 and 14 were reported this year. Though the number of kittens born each year is highly variable, reproductive rates appear to be exceeding mortality rates, prompting state wildlife experts to conclude that lynx should now be able to sustain their population into the future without assistance.

• On September 9, a U.S. District Court in Laramie, Wyoming also upheld the designation of some 39,000 square miles of land in six states as “critical habitat” for lynx. Defenders and other conservation groups successfully intervened on behalf of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to defend the decision, while snowmobile groups in Washington and Wyoming opposed it. Though the critical habitat designation does not include Colorado it will protect parts of Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Minnesota and Maine—a combined area equal in size to the State of Indiana.

Lynx recovery in Colorado is the most significant advancement to conserve the species since it was listed as threatened in 2000.

How Defenders Helped

Defenders’ meso-carnivore expert Dave Gaillard was a key player in both the Colorado reintroduction and supporting the Service’s habitat designation.

“Lynx recovery in Colorado is the most significant advancement to conserve the species since it was listed as threatened in 2000,” said Gaillard. “Not only does Colorado provide important new habitat for lynx today, but this may be one of the most important refuges from the impacts of global warming in the future.”

Dave’s work on all the forest hunters—lynx, fishers and wolverines—has brought needed attention to these lesser-known carnivores and the fragile ecosystems they depend on.

About Lynx

Lynx, in particular, depend on snowy, forested environments where they can hunt small animals, including their favorite prey, snowshoe hares. Lynx have massive paws that prevent the animal from sinking into deep snow, giving it a competitive advantage against bobcats and coyotes when looking for food in the winter.

Once spread across the Rocky Mountains, lynx today survive in just a few remote areas in a fraction of their former range. Prior to reintroduction, the last lynx disappeared from Colorado in the 1970s due to habitat loss from new development, as well as poisoning and trapping. The fact that there are now hundreds of lynx in Colorado is a major success, but the long-term recovery of the species is not yet secure. Climate change poses a serious threat to these alpine carnivores that rely on deep snow and mixed forests. Changing patterns of snowfall and altered forest dynamics could have severe impacts on lynx habitat in the future, making it even more important to preserve the viable populations that remain.

Click to View Full Size

Show Your Support for Lynx!

For the price of shipping, you can order our new lynx poster. Just send Dave an email with your address to show your support for America’s threatened cat.