USFWS investigating killing of Canada lynx near Ely

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the party responsible for killing a federally-protected Canada lynx near Armstrong Lake in Ely.
 
A dead Canada lynx was recovered March 15, 2012 in the ice near the public boat ramp on Anderson Lake in St. Louis County. A forensic examination revealed the cat had been caught in a leg hold trap. Canada lynx are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and killing wild lynx is prohibited by the federal law.
 
The lynx is one of several dead Canada lynx recovered from St. Louis County over the past year according to Resident Agent in Charge Pat Lund, of the Service’s law enforcement office in St. Paul.
 
 “As with other federally threatened and endangered species in the Midwest, protection of Canada lynx in Minnesota is a priority for us. We believe someone may have information about this lynx killing that will help us in our investigation,” Lund said.
 
The maximum penalty for the unlawful take of a Canada lynx is six months imprisonment and/or a $25,000 fine.
 
Canada lynx have short, solid black-tipped tails, long-legs and large feet. They are similar in appearance to bobcats, and weigh about 20 to 30 pounds. Lynx are solitary animals that often avoid people.
 
“They feed almost exclusively on snowshoe hare, squirrels and other small mammals and pose little threat to humans or their pets,”  Lund said. “Lynx are occasionally caught accidentally by trappers that target other species. Information about how to avoid accidentally trapping lynx and what to do if a lynx is accidentally caught is outlined in a brochure the Service and its partners created.”
 
Any person with information about the lynx killed near Ely, Minnesota, or other lynx killings should contact Special Agent Ron Kramer at 218-720-5357.
 
Information about how to avoid accidentally trapping Canada lynx is available at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/mammals/lynx/index.html.