FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2010
For more information, contact:
Paige Bonaker, Staff Biologist, Center for Native Ecosystems, 303-546-0214
Ryan Demmy-Bidwell, Executive Director, Colorado Wild, 970-946-0506
Nicole Rosmarino, Wildlife Program Director, WildEarth Guardians, 303-573-4898
Sloan Shoemaker, Executive Director, Wilderness Workshop, 970-963-3977
Liz Bergstrom, Public Relations Specialist, The Humane Society of the United States, 301-258-1455
Caitlin Balch-Burnett, Colorado Outreach Coordinator, Defenders of Wildlife, 303-825-0918
Megan Graham, Executive Director, San Juan Citizens Alliance, 970-259-3583
Randy Hampton, Public Information Officer, NW Region, Colorado Division of Wildlife, 970-255-6162
CONSERVATION GROUPS JOIN STATE AGENCY TO OFFER $5,800 REWARD
Second illegal killing in five months
Denver, CO − In response to news that the Colorado Division of Wildlife has found evidence that a Canada lynx was killed north of Silverthorne, Colorado, a coalition of conservation groups announced today that they are offering a $5,300 reward for information leading to the arrest of the persons responsible for illegally killing the endangered wildcat. Hoping to raise the stakes and expose the lynx poachers, the six conservation groups committed to contribute $5,300 in addition to the $500 reward currently offered by the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s Operation Game Thief program. The Canada lynx is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and killing wild lynx is prohibited by federal law.
“The Colorado Division of Wildlife understands that help from the public is critical in solving these kinds of cases,” said Randy Hampton, Division of Wildlife spokesman. “We appreciate the assistance of these organizations in stepping forward to help us catch the person responsible for this crime.”
The lynx, a thirteen year-old female, was one of the first to be released in Colorado when a reintroduction effort started in 1999. Known to researchers as AK-99-F05, she was brought to Colorado from Alaska and was released in the San Juan Mountains. Over the next several years, she ranged hundreds of miles across Colorado, living for periods of time near Silverton, in Rocky Mountain National Park, and above Cataract Lake in northern Summit County, and crossing Vail Pass at least once. Division staff received a mortality signal from AK-99-F05’s radio collar on January 18th. The collar was found close to a road, along with nearby evidence that she was poached. The carcass was missing.
In October 2009, another lynx was found shot to death with an arrow near Silverton, Colorado. Today’s reward offer is an extension of the same offer that was made for information leading to an arrest in the earlier incident. Since their reintroduction in 1999, at least four lynx have been illegally killed by poachers.
“Lynx are still fighting for survival in Colorado, and this is the second lynx killed by poachers in five months,” said Paige Bonaker, Staff Biologist at Center for Native Ecosystems. “Every lynx that is killed sets back the recovery of this rare wild cat.” Bonaker pointed out that lynx had to be reintroduced to Colorado after trapping and habitat destruction drove the rare cat out of the state.
“These secretive cats are already imperiled by ski area expansion, logging and road building in their forest homes, and numerous other threats,” said Ryan Bidwell, Executive Director of Colorado Wild. “The last thing they need is to be shot down by criminals.”
“The snowy habitat in which these cats hunt for food and raise their families is being severely impacted by global warming,” said Caitlin Balch-Burnett, Colorado Outreach Representative for Defenders of Wildlife. “The last thing the lynx needs is to face yet another threat in the form of illegal shootings.”
“Our world is enriched when lynx again roam the wild and are free from persecution,” said Nicole Rosmarino, Wildlife Program Director for WildEarth Guardians. “Coloradoans are proud of the reintroduction effort that has restored lynx to our mountains.”
“The individual responsible for this callous poaching has an appalling disregard for the threatened lynx and the laws that exist to protect this iconic species,” said Elise Traub, Deputy Manager of the Wildlife Abuse Campaign at The Humane Society of the United States.
Local conservation groups including Center for Native Ecosystems, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Wilderness Workshop, Colorado Wild, Wild Earth Guardians, Defenders of Wildlife, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust collaborated to offer this substantial incentive to anyone with information regarding the lynx killing. Defenders of Wildlife’s contribution comes from its Endangered Species Reward Fund established in 1997 to bring illegal predator killers to justice.
Tips on the lynx killing can be made anonymously through the Operation Game Thief hotline at 1-877-265-6648.
For further information on the recent lynx killing, please visit the Colorado Division of Wildlife website.
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