How are the re-introduced Lynx faring in Colorado forests hammered by native Spruce Bark Beetles whose periodic natural "explosion" has been spurred to un-natural "borg-like" infestation via climate change?.......... Hundreds of thousands of acres of lynx habitat in the Southern Rocky Mountains was likely reduced in quality as mortality to overstory spruce trees approached 100%...................... However, the subalpine fir component and understory spruce in many of these forests survived the initial insect outbreak, and anecdotal observations indicate lynx and snows.shoe hare are still present.................. Biologists are in the very difficult position of being required to evaluate the consequence of management actions to lynx, such as timber salvage, without a scientific basis to support their decisions relative to recent changes to lynx habitat due to insect infestation............... The key question is how can the expected increase in proposed timber salvage be conducted in ways that also facilitate lynx conservation and species’ persistence on the Rio Grande National Forest

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.chieftain.com/news/region/4259319-120/lynx-beetle-forest-spruce&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoTMjgxMjg0MDgwNDA4NzY4OTE1NzIaMWZiYWM0NmZiZmUyN2MzODpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AFQjCNEjNRNEPreH7bUGYHijCg0TCTxzBw

Looking for lynx to a changing habitat

Studies underway to learn how cat is adapting to beetle-killed forests

CREEDE — When state wildlife officials began introducing Canada lynx into the San Juan Mountains in 1999, they were sending the cats into the best available habitat But just a few years after the start of the reintroduction program that would put roughly 185 lynx onto the Rio Grande National Forest, spruce bark beetles, spurred on by drought-weakened trees, would begin chewing their way through the forest, including prime lynx habitat.

Now, with over 500,000 acres of dead spruce in the bugs’ wake, Rio Grande officials are tasked with trying to salvage log the dead stands without harming the cat, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Forest Service implemented a plan in 2008 for the lynx on seven national forests in Colorado that guides whether and how timber salvage can be done.

- See more at: http://www.chieftain.com/news/region/4259319-120/lynx-beetle-forest-spruce#sthash.9LdHBVz0.dpuf

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https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi6g9DYvvzJAhUEy2MKHcX2D08QFggxMAY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fs.fed.us%2Frmrs-beta%2Fprojects%2Flynx-and-snowshoe-hare-response-spruce-beetle-tree-mortality-evaluating-habitat-suitability&usg=AFQjCNGfYtfnnwbtPrzkgfEjxK9MCQzG2Q

Lynx and snowshoe hare response to spruce-beetle tree mortality: Evaluating habitat suitability and timber salvage in spruce-fir forests