by Laura Lundquist, Chronicle Staff Writer
Three conservation groups have sued to stop trapping in Montana lynx habitat.
On Thursday, in a Missoula U.S. District Court, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Friends of the Wild Swan and WildEarth Guardians filed a lawsuit against the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission and FWP director Jeff Hagener for permitting trapping in lynx habitat.
At least nine lynx have been discovered in traps since the species was listed under the Endangered Species Act as threatened in 2000. Four died, so the complaint alleges FWP has violated the ESA.
On its website, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks claims Montana has the healthiest lynx population in the lower 48 states, based upon winter tracks surveys, but it has no population numbers.
Over the past decade, the number of tracks logged in annual FWP surveys has dropped into the single digits. In the 1980s and 1990s, the number averaged around 50.
The best available estimates say no more than 300 lynx inhabit Montana. The population is declining from both indirect and direct threats: habitat degradation, human encroachment, climate change, poaching and trapping.
Lynx trapping is banned, but the cat is attracted by bait and visual lures set to catch other species. Montana allows trapping of wolves, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, otters and fishers.
FWP allowed trapping of wolverines until the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and the Friends of the Wild Swan joined with the Helena Hunters and Anglers to sue in October. The wolverine is now being considered for endangered species protections.
Last week, Friends of the Wild Swan joined two other groups in a lawsuit to force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to speed up the development of a recovery plan for lynx.
USFWS guidance says species recovery plans should be written within a few years of listing. But the lynx plan has been delayed 13 years, partly because of disagreements over inclusion of areas throughout the West as lynx habitat.
Such a plan may have had recommendations that would have limited trapping in Montana, said Mike Garrity of Alliance for the Wild Rockies.
Laura Lundquist, mwandishi wa Chronicle Staff, ameandika kwamba makundi matatu ya uhifadhi yamewashtaki waandamanaji wa Montana ili kuacha kuwekwa mtego katika makao ya lynx. Mkutano wa Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Friends of the Wild Swan na WildEarth Guardians ulifungua kesi dhidi ya Tume ya Samaki, Wanyamapori na Hifadhi na Mkurugenzi wa FWP Jeff Hagener kwa kuruhusu kufungwa katika mazingira ya lynx. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, kuna aina tisa za lynx ambazo zimepatikana katika mitego tangu aina hiyo ilipowekwa kwenye orodha ya ""Vitu vilivyotishwa"" chini ya Sheria ya Spishi Zilizohatarishwa mnamo 2000." "Wanafunzi wanne waliuawa, na kwa hivyo malalamiko hayo yanaonyesha kwamba ""FWP imevunja sheria za ESA.""" Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MWWP) inadai kuwa Montana ina idadi ya lynx yenye afya zaidi katika majimbo 48 ya chini, kulingana na tafiti za kufuatilia majira ya baridi kali, lakini haina idadi ya watu. Katika miaka ya hivi karibuni, idadi ya tracks zilizowekwa katika tafiti za kila mwaka za FWP imeshuka hadi tarakimu moja. Katika miaka ya 1980 na 1990, idadi hiyo ilikuwa karibu 50. Kulingana na takwimu zilizopo, kuna watu zaidi ya 300 tu katika jimbo la Montana. Idadi ya watu inashuka kutokana na vitisho vya moja kwa moja na vya moja kwa moja: uharibifu wa makazi, uvamizi wa binadamu, mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa, uwindaji haramu na kuwinda. Uvuvi wa lynx umepigwa marufuku, lakini paka huvutiwa na mtego na vishawishi vya kuona vilivyowekwa ili kuvua spishi nyingine. Montana inaruhusu kuwekwa mtego wa mbwa-mwitu, bobcats, coyotes, mbweha, otters na wavuvi. Mkataba wa Wanyama wa Mnyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama. Sasa mbweha huyo anafikiriwa kuwa spishi inayokabili hatari ya kutoweka. Marafiki wa Wild Swan wamejiunga na makundi mengine mawili katika kesi ya kisheria ya kulazimisha Marekani Usimamizi wa Uvuvi na Wanyamapori wa Marekani (Fish and Wildlife Service) umetoa taarifa ya kuharakisha mchakato wa kuanzisha mpango wa kuokoa wanyama wa aina ya lynx. "Miongozo ya USFWS inasema ""mipango ya kurudisha spishi inapaswa kuandikwa ndani ya miaka michache ya kuorodheshwa.""" Mpango wa kuokoa nyangumi umecheleweshwa kwa miaka 13 kwa sababu ya kutokubaliana juu ya kuingizwa kwa maeneo kote Magharibi kama makazi ya nyangumi. "Mfano wa mpango huo ni ""kuchukua hatua za kuzuia uvuvi wa samaki katika eneo la Montana,"" alisema Mike Garrity wa Alliance for the Wild Rockies."