U.S. Proposes $31 Million Recovery Plan for Canada Lynx

The plan aims to protect the snow-dependent species from extinction due to climate change, marking a reversal from previous administration's stance.

U.S. officials have proposed a $31 million recovery plan for the Canada lynx, a snow-dependent wildcat species that could be wiped out in parts of the U.S. by the end of the century due to climate change.
The plan marks a reversal from five years ago when the Trump administration claimed the lynx had recovered and no longer needed protection.
The recovery plan suggests protecting 95% of the current lynx habitat in the lower 48 states and potentially moving lynx into the Yellowstone region as a climate change refuge.
There are approximately 1,100 lynx in the U.S., spread across five populations. The plan aims for a minimum population of 875 lynx over a 20-year period.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service faces a November 2024 deadline to draft a related plan to protect land where lynx are found, following a legal settlement with environmental groups.