 |
Habitat Requirements | |
Home |
Lynx usually live in mature forests with dense undergrowth, but can also be found in more open forests, rocky areas or tundra. The forests lynx occupy are coniferous-deciduous of white spruce, lodgepole pine, aspen, and willow. The lynx is very dependent on snowshoe hare as a food source. When hare populations crash, lynx numbers go through a three to five year low period ( Rue III, 1981). Lynx that survive hare crashes are those that have found hare refugia. These refugia are characterized by having dense cover and suitable hare food. Wildfires and some types of logging improve habitat by opening up areas of mature forest for new growth. Fifeteen to 20 years after a fire, the new growth of deciduous shrubs, jackpine, and spruce attracts snowshoe hares which makes it a prime habitat for lynx ( Todd, 1985). Fire can be helpful in creating new growth areas such as unburned logs, and old stands of trees. |