RUTLAND COUNTY, Vt. — A rare wild cat not seen in New England in six years continues to roam the region after a confirmed sighting of the elusive animal over the summer, wildlife officials said.
Many reports, including verifiable photos and videos, indicate that a Canada lynx is on the move in Vermont, according to biologists with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
The lynx has moved about 60 miles north of where it was first sighted in Rutland County into Addison County, traveling around a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same general area for several days before moving on, biologists said in an update on Friday.
“We’ve had 15 confirmed lynx sightings since August and signs point to these all being the same dispersing juvenile male,” furbearer biologist Brehan Furfey said in a statement. “The lynx has moved steadily north from Rutland County into Addison County. That’s a conservation success in its own right because Vermont’s network of protected lands is what makes this journey possible.”
Canada lynx are a federally threatened species and anyone who sees the lynx is asked to give the cat a respectful amount of space, the department stressed.
“The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” Furfey explained. “Keeping a respectful distance is especially important for threatened or endangered species like Canada lynx which are protected by state and federal law. That said, we do want your photos or videos if you think you have crossed paths with a lynx and are able to get a clear view on your phone or camera without disturbing it.”
Vermonters who are confident they have a photo or video of the lynx and not a closely related bobcat are urged to email the department.
“We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey added.
Since 2016, Furfey said the department has received over 160 reports of lynx, but only seven of these were confirmed.
The most recent credible report before the one in August was from Jericho in 2018.
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