S1E4: 1.4 - Revisiting the lynx reintroduction in Colorado - Dec. 11, 2020

We flash back 20 years ago and discuss Colorado's efforts to reintroduce the Canada lynx in the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado. We'll talk with Senior Wildlife Biologist Scott Wait, who was a part of the original reintroduction efforts as well as Eric Odell, CPW's Species Conservation Program Manager who gives us an update on how lynx are doing now in Colorado. And we ask if there are parallels that can be drawn from the lynx reintroduction to an upcoming wolf reintroduction, as Coloradans voted to pass Proposition #114 - The Restoration of Gray Wolves, a measure directing the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to develop a plan to reintroduce gray wolves west of the Continental Divide. Topic list:2:40 - motivation to reintroduce lynx back in the late 1990s3:50 - planning process to reintroduce lynx5:25 - where did the animals come from6:43 - what was the transaction process to obtain the lynx for reintroduction8:30 - criteria for the animals to bring to Colorado9:40 - how does the process unfold for release11:35 - Scott Wait’s memories of the first release 13:15 - figuring out where to release the lynx14:45 - when did the lynx stop being released and why16:55 - why is it important to have lynx in Colorado17:50 - lynx dispersal after release and where can they be found now18:40 - what makes for good lynx habitat19:55 - the physical attributes of lynx21:55 - how many lynx are in Colorado23:50 - how does the species handle human disturbance from high levels of outdoor recreation25:15 - can we learn anything from the lynx reintroduction and apply it to a wolf reintroduction