The great lynx hoax

By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist

Four U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists have been caught planting lynx fur in an attempt to rig a study of threatened species. The biologists submitted three samples of lynx fur they falsely claimed were collected in two Washington State national forests.

These samples were submitted as part of a 16-state lynx survey to find out how many (if any) lynx live in the lower 48 states. If lynx were found to really inhabit those forests, there could have been attempts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restrict recreational activities, according to an article in the Washington Times.

The General Accounting Office conducted the investigation. As for the Fish and Wildlife biologists, they were orally reprimanded for their actions, the Times article said, "but later (they) received bonuses for their work."

Lynx, once native to the Adirondacks, were extirpated or their numbers severely reduced due to clearing of forests in the 1800’s.

Occasionally, lynx were reported in northern New York in the 20th Century. In the early 1990’s, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry released more than 80 lynx in an attempt to repopulate certain areas of the Adirondacks.

The reintroduction failed, as the lynx traveled widely from their release points, most dying from a variety of causes such as being run over by cars.

That program ran out of money, so it is impossible to speculate if any lynx or their offspring remain in the Adirondacks, where they are a protected species.