Amazed skiers and snowboarders run into rare lynx in Colorado By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 01.10.17 Word Count 564 This December 15, 2016, photo provided by Dontje Hildebrand shows two lynx walking along a highway in Molas Pass outside of Silverton, Colorado. Only about 50 to 250 lynx are believed to be living in the wild in Colorado, and sightings are rare. They were native to Colorado but virtually disappeared from the state by the 1970s because of hunting, poisoning and development. Photo: Dontje Hildebrand/AP DENVER, Colo. Colorado residents and visitors were treated to an uncommon sight this winter: a glimpse of the rare and elusive lynx. Videos of the beasts have electrified social media and have given biologists reason to smile. One of the fluffy-looking cats strolled casually across the Purgatory resort in southwestern Colorado last week. It wove through a crowd of skiers and snowboarders, who crowded around the animal and tried to film it. Two weeks earlier, a pair of lynx loped along a mountain highway a few feet from Dontje Hildebrand's car. "My heart just about busted out of my chest when I realized what I was seeing," said Hildebrand. He was driving over Molas Pass, about 15 miles north of the Purgatory resort, when he came upon a female lynx and her kitten. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1
Rare Sighting Of Lynx In Colorado Between 50 and 250 lynx live in the wild in Colorado, mostly in the southwestern corner of the state, biologists say. That's down from previous estimates of 200 to 300, but officials say this number has decreased because they have grown better at counting the lynx, not because there are fewer of them. They are legally protected from hunters under the Endangered Species Act in every state but Alaska and Hawaii. Lynx, native to Colorado, virtually disappeared from the state by the 1970s because of hunting, poisoning and development. The state brought them back starting in 1999, transplanting lynx from Canada and Alaska. Lynx Can Grow To 3 Feet Long And 30 Pounds The medium-size cats have tufted ears, short tails and broad paws that work like snowshoes, letting them walk across powdery snow. They can grow to nearly 3 feet long and 30 pounds. Wildlife officials don't know exactly how many live in Colorado because they are so hard to find, said Joe Lewandowski, a spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. A few people report seeing them every year, Lewandowski said. Unfortunately, those sightings don't help with the science of lynx reintroduction because they are anecdotal, or just based on what each person claims to have seen. "But it's encouraging," he said. Survey Using Automated Cameras Document Where Lynx Live The state documents where the animals live with a survey using automated cameras mounted in remote lynx country. The sightings indicate the cats are getting comfortable in the high-altitude forests of southwestern Colorado, which are prime lynx habitat. The lynx appearance at Purgatory on December 28 was unusual because so many people saw it, Lewandowski said. Jim Russell was snowboarding that day when he and dozens of others watched the lynx mosey across a ski run. "For being a wild animal, it was pretty surprising to see him so relaxed around people," Russell said. A Diet Of Snowshoe Hares He and others took cellphone video and posted it on social media, gaining broad attention. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2
"At first it kind of looked like a feral cat," Russell said. But then he remembered seeing Hildebrand's photos of the Molas Pass lynx on the front page of a newspaper, he said, "and pretty quick I was able to identify it." Lynx generally are not a threat to people, Lewandowski said. They have calm tempers, they eat mostly snowshoe hares and they likely would not take on anything as large as a human. But they also are unpredictable, and people should never approach them or feed them, he said. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3
Quiz 1 Which idea is BEST supported by the following paragraph? Between 50 and 250 lynx live in the wild in Colorado, mostly in the southwestern corner of the state, biologists say. That's down from previous estimates of 200 to 300, but officials say this number has decreased because they have grown better at counting the lynx, not because there are fewer of them. Lynx populations are expanding throughout the U.S. except in most areas of Colorado. Lynx have not had any success at adapting in Colorado except in the southwestern corner. Scientists believe that lynx populations are declining dangerously quickly. Scientists believe they have improved their methods for studying lynx populations. 2 How did lynx in Colorado initially become endangered? Too many people were attracted to the area by videos of the lynx. They were hunted and poisoned when their habitat was developed. Snowshoe hares became less available for them to hunt. Skiers and snowboarders made them anxious around people. 3 Which of the following sentences from the article BEST supports the idea that lynx transplanted to Colorado are adapting well? They are legally protected from hunters under the Endangered Species Act in every state but Alaska and Hawaii. Wildlife officials don't know exactly how many live in Colorado because they are so hard to find, said Joe Lewandowski, a spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The state documents where the animals live with a survey using automated cameras mounted in remote lynx country. The sightings indicate the cats are getting comfortable in the high-altitude forests of southwestern Colorado, which are prime lynx habitat. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4
4 Which of the following would BEST describe Joe Lewandowski's reaction to anecdotal lynx sightings? cautiously optimistic wildly enthusiastic extremely doubtful moderately disappointed This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5