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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Nature & Science

  • Urban green space can prevent premature deaths, study finds

    Having green spaces in residential areas can protect against premature mortality, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Colorado State University in collaboration with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and the World Health Organization.

    The research team, led by Dr. David Rojas-Rueda, assistant professor of epidemiology at CSU, found that an increase in green spaces around homes is significantly associated with reduced premature mortality.

    More specifically, researchers identified an estimate for the protective effect: a 4% reduction in premature mortality per each increase of 0.1 using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index within 1,600 feet of the residence. The index is used to determine the density of green on a patch of land.

    The study was published Nov. 20 in The Lancet Planetary Health.

    The analysis, which included nine longitudinal studies in seven countries and a total of over 8 million people, provides strong evidence on the impact of increasing green areas in urban settings.

    “This is the largest and most comprehensive synthesis to date on green space and premature mortality,” said Rojas-Rueda, first author of the study. “The results support interventions and policies to increase green spaces as a strategy to improve public health.”

    Half of the world’s population lives in cities where there is often a lack of green space. Many studies suggests that green spaces in cities have a positive health effect, including less stress, improved mental health and lower risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and premature death. However, many of these studies looked at only one specific point in time and use different ways to measure exposure to greenness.

    For this study, the research team summarized the available evidence and focused on studies that were longitudinal – ones that follow the same individuals over several years. Scientists used a simple measure of exposure to green space, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, based on satellite images, and looked at premature all-cause mortality as a health outcome. They identified nine studies worldwide that included individuals from seven different countries, including Canada, United States, Spain, Italy, Australia, Switzerland and China.

    Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, a study co-author and director of the Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative at ISGlobal, said that in addition to the public health benefits, urban greening programs “also increase biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of climate change, making our cities more sustainable and livable.”

    Rojas and the research team are currently applying the results of the meta-analysis to estimate the number of premature deaths that could be prevented in cities around the world if the city achieves its goal of increasing green infrastructures.

    The study was commissioned by and funded by the World Health Organization.

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  • OHV Grants Available for up to 100% of Project Costs

    OHV Grants Available for up to 100% of Project Costs

    DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Trails Program encourages local, county, and state governments, federal agencies, special recreation districts, and non-profit organizations to apply for available Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) grant funding before the application period ends on December 2.

    CPW’s OHV Program works to improve and enhance motorized recreation opportunities in Colorado while also promoting the safe and responsible use of OHVs in the state. The grant program combines OHV registration and permit fees with federal Recreation Trails Funds (RTP) to fund the annual OHV trail grant process.

    OHV Grants are available for projects related to the recreational use of Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) on lands open to the public. Last year, $4,456,258 was awarded from the OHV grant program to fund 57 projects.

    “Since the OHV Program started in 1991, more than $62 million dollars from OHV registration fees have been allocated towards ‘on the ground’ improvements for motorized recreation. This is literally OHV fees going right back into trails,” said CPW State Trails Program Manager Fletcher Jacobs.

    Organizations or agencies with management responsibilities over public lands may apply for Good Management Trail Crew Grants or Programmatic (competitive) Project Grants through the December 2 deadline. Federal, state, local government agencies and non-profit OHV project sponsors are eligible to apply for grants of up to 100% of the project cost.

    To be eligible for a Good Management Trail Crew Grant, applicants must demonstrate a three-year track record of fulfilling the fiscal and field objectives presented in their annual OHV grant proposals and achieve all aspects of a Good Management Program. Good Management crews must take a holistic management approach that preserves riding opportunities while protecting sensitive resources within the areas they service. These trail crews must also use “best practices” to maintain and restore OHV riding areas.

    OHV programmatic or competitive project grants address the full spectrum of OHV recreation support needs in Colorado. Eligible grant-funded activities may include but are not limited to construction, reconstruction or maintenance of OHV routes or multi-use trails that allow for motorized use ; OHV trail corridor revegetation and erosion control ; OHV Education and safety programs; or salary, compensation and benefits for crew members or project employees.

    CPW’s trail grant application review and ranking process follows a four-tiered review and approval protocol. This process invites public review and comment at each of the four separate stages; upon submission, before the OHV Grant Review and Ranking Subcommittee, before the State Recreational Trails Committee, and before the Commission.

    For more information about Colorado Parks and Wildlife OHV grants, to download an application, or to review the full OHV grant application process, visit cpw.state.co.us.

     

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  • Sunflower Production Answers

    Colorado State University Extension is announcing two sunflower production meetings. Monday November 25, beginning at 3 pm will be the first meeting. Location is the Cobblestone Inn at Eads, Co.

         The second meeting will be held on Monday December 9th with the location being the Minnich Building in Springfield, Co., this meeting will begin with a noon lunch. This site will feature Kevin Larson, Colorado State University Plainsman Research Center Agronomist discussing local sunflower agronomic practices and results.

         Topics covered will include new sunflower production research results that have been generated on farms in Eastern Colorado. Topics will focus on oil type sunflower and include current research results regarding variety selection, fertility management, insect management, marketing strategies and others. The meetings are open to the public without cost and are sponsored by Colorado State University Extension, the Colorado Sunflower Administrative Committee, and Colorado Mills.

     

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  • Franktown man attacked by deer that was suspected to be hand-raised by people

    Franktown man attacked by deer that was suspected to be hand-raised by people

    FRANKTOWN, Colo. – A 56-year-old man was gored by a deer and received medical treatment at a hospital Wednesday evening. Wildlife officers suspect the aggressive deer was hand-raised by people.

    The man was released from the hospital Wednesday evening. The deer was dispatched by a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputy after responding to a 911 call from the homeowners. The deer had displayed aggressive behavior towards the officer. 

    The man and his wife told Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers they saw what was a “friendly deer” fitted with a fluorescent orange dog collar on the other side of their fence around 4:50 p.m. The wife reached over the fence and the deer approached touching her finger with its nose, then the buck came through a break in the fence line. It approached the woman and knocked her back, pinning her into the barb-wire fence. 

    The husband tried to intervene and the deer attacked, knocking him to the ground and dragging him around the yard. He sustained wounds to his lower body from the buck’s antlers.

    The wife ran inside and called 911. She was able to shoot a pellet gun towards the buck, distracting the deer long enough so the man could get up and get behind a boat in the yard to separate himself from the buck. 

    Wildlife officers believe this deer, a two-year old buck, was one that was domesticated and set-free in the area recently. Prior to Wednesday, CPW had no previous reports of a collared deer in the area.

    “Every indication we see points to this deer being raised by people, one from its collar and two from its behavior,” said Wildlife Officer Casey Westbrook. “We suspect somebody was raising it and released it after they couldn’t handle it anymore.

    “These are some of the dangers that come when you try to domesticate, or even just feed wildlife, which is a major issue we start to see this time of year. These animals learn to expect something from humans and when they don’t get it, they become dangerous and encounters like what we saw here can happen. Mix in the fact that deer are now in the breeding season, and this all contributed to something that could have been prevented.”

    A concerned resident notified CPW Wednesday around 2 p.m. of a picture from a Facebook post that showed a man interacting with this deer on Saturday.

    Wildlife officers contacted the man in the Facebook post, who said the buck had approached him on Saturday while he was doing yard work at his home in Elizabeth. The man stated the deer had attempted to push him around with its antlers and showed the officers several pictures of him fending off the animal.

    CPW received another report at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday of the same deer that had chased a 10-year-old boy near Tomichi Drive and Caribou Drive in Franktown before a man pulled his car in between the child and the deer to prevent an attack. The incident involving the 10-year-old was just down the road from where the man was gored by the deer minutes later.

    “If this was reported to CPW on Saturday instead of being posted on Facebook, we might have been able to prevent this,” Westbrook said. “The behavior of any wild animal can be unpredictable, and the behavior of wildlife that get domesticated can be demanding and aggressive.”

    It is illegal to own or possess wildlife in Colorado. You cannot remove a wild animal from the woods and take it home. As a public resource, wildlife belongs to the state of Colorado, to all citizens.

    “Colorado’s wild animals should stay wild,” Westbrook said.

    If anyone has information of people raising or attempting to domesticate wildlife, it should be reported to Colorado Parks and Wildlife by calling 303-291-7227. It can also be done anonymously through Operation Game Thief at 1-877-265-6648 or sending an email to .

    CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW’s work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.

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  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to meet November 14 – 15 in Wray

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to meet November 14 – 15 in Wray

    DENVER, Colo. – The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will discuss an annual review of “General Provisions” regulations (adjusting license fees and license agent commission rates according to adjustments to the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Consumer Price Index), annual review of “Fishing” regulations, annual review of “Furbearers and Small Game” (turkey hunting season dates and license numbers), as well as regulations pertaining to “Wildlife Properties,” “Damage Caused by Wildlife,” and “Passes, Permits and Registrations” at its November meeting.

    The Commission will also discuss the Department of Interior Wildlife Officials Exchange Program, Colorado Wildlife Council Campaign Report, Strategic Plan Progress Report and Future Generations Act Report, Commission Resolution Supporting the Executive Order for Conserving Colorado’s Big Game Habitat and Winter Range, Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Update and Commission Resolution Supporting House Bill, Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program, and the acquisition of the Crazy French Ranch as fee title acquisition.

    The Commission will also discuss multiple Citizen Petitions for Rulemaking to:

    • make Game Management Unit 83 limited for elk hunting during the second and third regular rifle seasons
    • create a reduced price senior small game and fishing combination license
    • allow the use of stone broadheads/projectiles for archery hunting
    • allow the use of an atlatl for big game hunting during archery and other big game seasons
    • allow the sale of all returned big game licenses at all licensing vendors and online, even after the season has started. 

    The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. and adjourn at 5 p.m. on November 14 at Elks Lodge #2409, 36355 US-385, in Wray. The meeting will resume at 8:30 a.m. at the same location on November 15 and adjourn at 3:15 p.m.

    Additional agenda items include:

    • Department of Agriculture Update
    • Department of Natural Resources Update
    • Financial Update
    • GOCO Update
    • Annual Capital Program Update
    • Pathways Workshop Update

    A complete agenda for this meeting can be found on the CPW website.

    The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. Anyone can listen to commission meetings through the CPW website. This opportunity keeps constituents informed about the development of regulations and how the commission works with Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff to manage the parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation programs administered by the agency. Find out more about the commission on the CPW website.

    If needed, a final 2019 commission meeting is tentatively scheduled for December 11 – 12 in Frisco. 

     

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  • Small, wearable air pollution sensors will let workers know what they’re breathing

    Small, wearable air pollution sensors will let workers know what they’re breathing

      Every day, millions of workers head to their jobs and breathe any number of airborne chemicals, particles or vapors, all of which may or may not be affecting their health.

    Measuring these pollution exposures – and making that data meaningful to workers and employers – is both difficult and expensive. Colorado State University engineers and social scientists are working to make such measurements simpler, more affordable and more comprehensive, so that workers everywhere can know what they are breathing.

    A team led by Ellison Carter and John Volckens in the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering has received a four-year, $2.2 million grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control, to develop radical new technologies and methods for assessing worker exposure to occupational air pollutants. Carter and Volckens are joined by an experienced team of engineers and social scientists who will help refine the successful adoption and deployment of the technology.

    The team is developing a lightweight, inexpensive, wearable air pollution monitor for aerosol and vapor hazards that, like a commercial smartphone, is ready to use out of the box and requires minimal user training.

    Testing with workers

    Once they’ve created the devices, which should be no more obtrusive than name tags, the researchers plan to test them on several hundred workers in various industries – from emergency responders to product manufacturers and oil and gas drillers. The workers, who will participate voluntarily in the study, will help the scientists piece together one of most complete pictures of occupational air quality to date.

    Though workers have a right to know by federal mandate what potential toxins they are exposed to, measuring the amounts of those toxins in any comprehensive way has been difficult or impossible for employers. Typically, an industrial hygienist can make about 10 measurements of personal airborne exposures each day. Collecting the data involves decades-old pump technology – similar to the aeration system in a home aquarium – and cumbersome tubing that drapes across the body. Such personal sampling trains are expensive and poorly integrated, making it virtually impossible to collect all-day data on more than 10 individual workers at a time.

    The CSU researchers are pivoting off an existing technology commercialized through Volckens’ spinout company, Access Sensor Technologies. Volckens, an air pollution specialist and professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, led the development of a personal air sampler called the Ultrasonic Personal Air Sampler, or UPAS, that collects data on particle exposures using a silent, low-power micropump.

    The new device will be a smaller, lighter version of the UPAS, explained Carter, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering who has studied the effects of air pollution policies in China. Carter’s previous leadership in field sampling for measuring air pollution complements Volckens’ years of technology development and commercialization of personal pollution monitors.

    “The technology development part is very exciting and drew me to this project,” Carter said. “The iterative design and test process is fun and has an energy to it that I’m excited to be a part of.”

    Moreover, engaging with social scientists will help the technology achieve broader impact and allow the engineers to develop something that can scale to a commercial level, Carter said.

    Social science component

    One of the team’s social scientists is Elizabeth Williams, associate professor in the CSU Department of Communication Studies, whose expertise is at the intersection of organizational and health communication. With experience in conducting several health campaigns and health and safety initiatives, Williams researches how organizational processes influence the health of individuals.

    The team also includes Ander Wilson, assistant professor in the Department of Statistics, who has expertise in managing large environmental datasets; Ashley Anderson, assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Communication, who has developed quantitative methods for effective survey data collection; and Marilee Long, a professor in the same department who has expertise in effective health messaging.

    The researchers hypothesize that their project will change worker- and organizational-level attitudes toward occupational hazard assessment and mitigation. The social science team will test that hypothesis by engaging with study volunteers through surveys, interviews and targeted messaging.

    “We will be utilizing a citizen science approach as we focus on designing messages prior to implementation; measuring attitudinal and knowledge changes of individuals as a result of the project; and examining the influence the project has on the safety cultures within organizations,” Williams said.

    As one of their study partners, the researchers will work with the Poudre Fire Authority to test their monitors on firefighters.

    “First responders are one of the most vulnerable workforces to environmental hazards, they put their lives at risk, and they often pay the ultimate price,” Volckens said. “Part of our challenge is to develop something so vanishingly small and quiet and unobtrusive that those first responders will have no problem wearing these devices. A primary goal of this project is to help workers gain the information they need to make decisions that protect themselves from the unseen hazards in the air around them.”

     

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  • Changing Daylight Hours Means Wildlife on the Move

    Changing Daylight Hours Means Wildlife on the Move

    COLORADO STATEWIDE ― This Sunday, Nov. 3, marks the end of daylight saving time in Colorado. This means drivers will see dusk arriving earlier, and should be aware that wildlife movements are likely to conflict with rush hour traffic on highways statewide.

    As the sunlight fades during our high-volume commutes, Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks the state’s drivers to be cautious in sharing our roads with wildlife. Autumn is peak seasonal mating and migration for many species, so drivers should stay alert and watch for wildlife as they begin to experience darker commutes.

    “This time of year is tough for people and wildlife alike,” said District Wildlife Manager Tim Kroening. “People might know wildlife moves mainly between the dusk and dawn hours, but we don’t always connect that to our driving patterns. While your work hours stay the same, less daylight means more wildlife movement, which can increase the chances of a collision. Keep in mind, this is also the time of year when many of our big game species are moving to lower ground or actively mating, so it’s really important to keep your eyes out for wildlife on and near the roads in the fall.”

    The Colorado Department of Transportation also advises motorists to stay vigilant, drive with caution and slow down, especially now that several snow storms have set in and have pushed wildlife from the high country into lower elevations.

    “Big game like deer, elk and moose are on the move, making their way to terrain for which they can more easily find food and water,” said CDOT Wildlife Program Manager Jeff Peterson. “The seasonal movements of these animals can cause more wildlife-vehicle collisions.”

    An effective measure which attempts to decrease the amount of wildlife-vehicle collisions in Colorado has been the construction of mitigation structures. CDOT has worked hand-in-hand with CPW to study, gather data and develop solutions on several highways across the state. One such project is located on I-25 between Monument and Castle Rock, where 12 trail cameras were set up along a 10-mile stretch of the interstate to determine the diversity of wildlife present and capture travel patterns.

    “With the help of images captured from the cameras, CDOT and CPW analyzed locations along the corridor where wildlife collisions were highest. The team also documented wildlife movements, noting existing game trails, culverts, drainages and bridges. As a result of the study, CDOT will install four new wildlife crossings and more than 30 miles of deer fence as part of the I-25 South Gap project,” added Peterson.

    Colorado has increasingly included mitigation structures over and under highways in construction projects to assist in wildlife crossing the highways, but motorists must remain attentive to their surroundings and pay close attention to wildlife on the move. CPW and CDOT offer several precautions that should be followed year-round, but especially around the change back to daylight standard time.

    • Slow down. Traveling at high speeds increases the danger of a crash. Moderate speeds maintain a driver’s reaction time and allow an appropriate response to animals on or near roads.
    • Stay alert. Pay close attention to the roadway, particularly while driving between dusk and dawn. This is when deer and other common wildlife are most active and more likely to be crossing roadways.
    • Scan ahead. Watch for movement and shining eyes along roadsides. If you see one animal, you should expect it will be accompanied by others.
    • Obey traffic signs. Many highways have wildlife warning signs intended to alert motorists of known wildlife movement areas. Though incidents can happen anywhere, transportation authorities attempt to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions by posting signage and lowering speeds in areas where wildlife are active.
    • Give warning. When animals are seen on or near the road, slow down or stop (if no other cars are behind you), honk the horn and/or flash headlights. This warns the animal to avoid the road and alerts other drivers to the potential hazard.
    • Always wear seat belts. Unfortunately, not every collision is avoidable, and the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration state that the risk of serious injury and death in a crash is reduced by half when seat belts are worn.

    Drivers involved in a wildlife-vehicle collision should report the accident to the Colorado State Patrol by calling *CSP (star key and 277).

    STAY INFORMED:

    For more information about wildlife and our highways, visit:

     

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  • Sold-out CSU System Water in the West Symposium poised to address challenges, showcase solutions

    Sold-out CSU System Water in the West Symposium poised to address challenges, showcase solutions

    Denver, Colorado – Colorado State University System will host its second annual Water in the West Symposium on Nov. 6 and 7, 2019, at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, to convene diverse experts and thought leaders to highlight solutions and collaborate on one of the greatest global issues: water.

    The event has sold out both years with approximately 400 diverse water stakeholders, ranging from recreation and environment to business and agriculture.

    “Colorado State University is in the perfect position to act as a convener around the issue of water,” said former Secretary of U.S. Agriculture Tom Vilsack, an advisor to CSU on the National Western Center project in north Denver. “As we focus on solutions and problem-solving around water issues at this event, we want everyone at the table to be part of this critical conversation for an issue that impacts everyone, regardless of where they live.”

    The Symposium is an initial offering of the CSU Water Building, one of three buildings that will comprise the future CSU Campus at the National Western Center. The new CSU Campus is expected to break ground in 2020 and open in 2022, and will also include an animal health building and a center focused on food and agriculture. Each of the CSU buildings will provide collaborative research and incubation spaces, and interactive and family-friendly educational opportunities focused largely on the themes of health, environment, energy, water, and food.

    The 2019 Water in the West Symposium will feature nearly 30 speakers, including Walter Robb, founder of Stonewall Robb Advisors and former co-CEO of Whole Foods; Claudia Ringler, International Food Policy Research Institute; Winston Yu, International Water Management Institute; and Kate Greenberg, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture. A full list of speakers and additional event information is available at nwc.colostate.edu/water-in-the-west-2019.

    “CSU has long been an expert in water issues, and the CSU Campus at the National Western Center will place these conversations on an even larger stage,” said Dr. Tony Frank, chancellor of the CSU System. “The University has a responsibility to use its resources and position as a land-grant institution to take the lead in convening conversations and efforts around these important global issues.”

    The Symposium, originally scheduled for March 13-14, was postponed due to a winter storm that cancelled flights of key Symposium speakers, and shut down schools, governments, and businesses across Colorado.

    Colorado State University at the National Western Center

    Colorado State University has made a long-term commitment to the future National Western Center and its surrounding communities in north Denver.

    The CSU Campus at the National Western Center will focus on research and educational programming in the areas of food, water, sustainability, and human and animal health within its three buildings: the CSU Water Building, CSU Animal Health Complex, and CSU Center for Food and Agriculture. What’s inside the buildings will bring together the brightest minds, inspire the next generation, and address global challenges.

    The University is currently working to engage with the community and to partner with local schools, nonprofits, and businesses to create impactful research, collaboration, and year-round programming to this unique project.

    For additional information, visit nwc.colostate.edu.

     

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  • CSU to host Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense Nov. 5

    Scientists, policymakers, industry and academic leaders will visit Colorado State University on Tuesday, Nov. 5, for a discussion on agro-defense with the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense.

    The event, “Too great a thing to leave undone: defense of agriculture,” is free and open to the public, with remarks starting at 9:30 a.m. and panel discussions throughout the day until 3:15 p.m.

    It will be held at the C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute on CSU’s South Campus. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

    Agro-defense refers to protecting the nation’s agriculture, farmers and people against the threat and potential impact of serious diseases.

    The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense was established in 2014 to comprehensively assess the state of U.S. biodefense, and to issue recommendations to foster change. The Commission is co-chaired by former Senator Joe Lieberman and former Governor Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of Homeland Security.

    Event participants

    Participants at the event will include:

    • Thomas Daschle, former Senate majority leader and panel member
    • Kenneth Wainstein, former Homeland Security adviser to President George W. Bush and panel member
    • Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO, 1st District)
    • Tony Frank, chancellor, Colorado State University System
    • Alan Rudolph, vice president for research, Colorado State University
    • Amy Delgado, director of monitoring and modeling, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
    • Capt. Casey Barton Behravesh, director, One Health Office, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    • Keith A. Roehr, state veterinarian, Colorado Department of Agriculture

    “Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading institutions in protecting our agricultural industries from infectious diseases,” said Alan Rudolph, vice president for research. “We aim to advance our ongoing efforts in preparedness that focuses on research in surveillance and diagnosis for disease, vaccine and therapeutics treatments development and remediation to enable return to normal operations after outbreaks such as the current global crisis experienced with Africa Swine fever. The Commission’s meeting at CSU will focus on the role of land grant innovation ecosystems and public-private partnerships in addressing one of the major challenges of our day.”

    This event will also be webcast; registration for the webcast is encouraged.

    The Translational Medicine Institute is located at 2350 Gillette Drive in Fort Collins.

     

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  • Lynx reintroduced 20 years ago in Colorado; CPW monitoring shows stable population

    Lynx reintroduced 20 years ago in Colorado; CPW monitoring shows stable population

    DURANGO, Colo. – Twenty years after Colorado reintroduced the Canada lynx to the state, wildlife managers are monitoring the big-footed felines in the San Juan mountains using remote cameras and wintertime snow tracking.

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife believe the lynx population is stable in the core area of the San Juan Mountains at about 150-250. Biologists know, however, that lynx have also dispersed to other mountainous areas of the state.

    CPW released 218 lynx from 1999 to 2006 and all the animals were fitted with telemetry collars so each could be tracked. Before CPW stopped monitoring the collars in 2011, biologists documented that the reintroduced lynx and some offspring were reproducing and expanding their range. In 2010, CPW declared the reintroduction program a success 

    No monitoring was done for a few years, but CPW biologists always understood the importance of long-term study. In 2014, CPW biologists launched a 10-year monitoring project that is both high-tech and old school. The project is now in its sixth year.

    “Successfully reintroducing lynx was one of the most significant projects Colorado Parks and Wildlife has ever accomplished and it’s important that we continue to learn how the lynx are doing,” said Scott Wait, senior terrestrial biologist in CPW’s Southwest Region. He was on the initial reintroduction team and is one of three lead investigators on the current study.

    Because they are elusive and live in remote, high-altitude spruce-fir forests, estimating a precise population of lynx would be prohibitively expensive. Instead, CPW biologists use occupancy monitoring techniques. Occupancy, basically, is a record of the presence of animals in appropriate habitat. The current monitoring is being conducted within a 20,000 square kilometer area (9,600 square miles) in southwest Colorado 

    Biologists randomly selected 50 units for study, each measuring about 29 square miles and divided into quadrants. One cameras is placed within each quadrant.

    In addition, during winter, biologists and wildlife officers survey the plots on skis or snowmobiles looking for tracks and picking up lynx scat and hair ‒ if they can find it ‒ for genetic analysis. Wait explained that most evidence of lynx occupancy is found through snow tracking because surveyors can travel long distances in multiple directions. Tracking is difficult, however, because it must be done within two days of a snowfall and some areas can’t always be accessed safely 

    For the remote locations, CPW staffers hike or go in by horseback during the warm months to place the cameras. At the sites, scented lures are placed and feathers are hung from branches as attractants.

    “Cats are very curious and very sight-oriented. So the odors and fluttering feathers, hopefully, bring them past the cameras,” Wait said.

    The cameras take pictures when movement and heat are detected. Besides the photos, the cameras also record the time, date and temperature.

    CPW crews go back to the areas as soon as possible in the spring to retrieve the cameras so that photos can be downloaded into a specialized database. More than 100,000 photos are taken each winter season and sorting through them is an exacting process. Besides lynx, the cameras capture hundreds of pictures of elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, birds, etc. While animals in all the photos are identified, looking for photos of lynx is the highest priority. To assure correct identification, two people look at each photo. 

    Not surprisingly, few cameras get a glimpse of a lynx. On average, only 8-14 cameras capture a shot of a lynx throughout the winter. Biologists employ statistical techniques and use the snow-tracking results in combination with the images to estimate the occupancy rate of lynx in southwest Colorado, explained Eric Odell, species conservation program manager for CPW. He is based in Fort Collins and one of the principal investigators.

     “We can’t feasibly make a precise population count, so we monitor for occupancy,” Odell said. “Through our monitoring, the photos and snow tracking, we can look at trends to determine where occupancy is going up or down. We assume that if more areas are occupied by lynx that means the population is doing well and expanding. Conversely, if occupancy is declining, we assume that fewer lynx exist on the landscape and reproduction is not keeping pace with mortality.”

     The monitoring, Odell said, is showing that the population in the San Juan Mountains is stable. But lynx have also expanded outside of the core area as CPW regularly gets reports of sightings in the central mountains. Considerations are in place to expand monitoring to other areas of Colorado.

     Whether by camera or snow tracking, the monitoring work is challenging. Two years ago little winter tracking could be done due to sparse snowfall. At the camera sites, because they are placed at angles in anticipation of deep snow, the cameras were pointed too high in many locations to see animals on the ground. Last year the abundance of snow buried many cameras and also kept some tracking sites off limits because of avalanche danger.

     “There are a lot of variables we have to deal with,” Odell said. “But that’s the nature of wildlife surveys. We made a huge commitment to reintroduce lynx to Colorado 20 years ago and we continue that commitment.”

     CPW would like to know about sightings of lynx throughout the state. Go to this link to file a report: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/SOC-LynxSightingForm.aspx. Reports must be filed from a computer. Lynx live at 8,000 feet and above. Large feet are their distinguishing characteristic. Some people confuse bobcats and lynx as both have pointed ear tufts.

     To learn more about lynx, go to: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/SpeciesProfiles.aspx.

     

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