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Fuller, A.K.; Harrison, D.J.; Vashon, J.H.
Winter habitat selection by Canada lynx in Maine: Prey abundance or accessibility?
2007 Journal of Wildlife Management (71): 1980-1986
We related winter habitat selection by Canada lynx (_Lynx canadensis_), relative abundance of snowshoe hares (_Lepus americanus_), and understory stem densities to evaluate whether lynx select stands with the greatest snowshoe hare densities or the greatest prey accessibility. Lynx (3 F, 3 M) selected tall (4.4-7.3 m) regenerating clear-cuts (11-26 yr postharvest) and established partially harvested stands (11-21 yr postharvest) and selected against short (3.4-4.3 m) regenerating clear-cuts, recent partially harvested stands (1-10 yr), mature secondgrowth stands (.40 yr), and roads and their edges (30 m on either side of roads). Lynx selected stands that provided intermediate to high hare density and intermediate cover for hares (i.e., prey access) but exhibited lower relative preference for stand types with highest hare densities where coniferous saplings exceeded 14,000 stems/ha.
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