January 2002

Contact: Steve Pozzanghera, (360) 902-2506 or
Tim Waters, (360) 902-2262

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Canada lynx as threatened in the United States in April 2000. Within Washington State, the species has been state classified as threatened by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission since 1993.

• As part of a formal agreement between the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a national interagency lynx survey was initiated in 1999. The survey, a three-year effort, is designed to assess current distribution of Canada lynx within the lower 48 states. Surveys were conducted in the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, the Great Lakes states and in states of the Northeast.

• Utilizing a survey protocol developed by the Rocky Mountain Research Station, the interagency lynx survey relies on a common behavior of cats to scent-mark territories by rubbing up against something.

• Rubbing stations, comprised of rough surfaced carpet pads, were placed in potential lynx habitat and scented with a cat lure to induce lynx to rub and leave hair. Each station was checked twice during the survey period at two-week intervals. Carpet pads containing hair were removed and replaced with new ones per protocol. Upon returning to their offices, biologists removed hairs from the pads and placed them in vials for shipment to the genetics laboratory.

• The pads were also sent to the lab in case any hairs were missed and not placed in vials. Since a number of different wildlife species are attracted to these stations, a genetic analysis using DNA material extracted from the hair's follicle was used to determine what species left the hair.

• In 1998, the year prior to initiating the national interagency lynx survey effort, the U.S. Forest Service contracted with the Wildlife Conservation Society to have a separate lynx rubbing station survey conducted for the Cascade Mountains of Washington and Oregon.

• The Wildlife Conservation Society work also used DNA from hair samples to identify species.

• This study detected lynx on six national forests in Washington and Oregon on both the east and west sides of the Cascade Crest. These findings were unusual and outside of areas recognized as occupied lynx habitat. These findings were published by the Wildlife Conservation Society in March 1999.

• Following the publication of the Cascade Mountain lynx survey, the U.S. Forest Service contacted the principal investigator (June 1999) to raise questions and concerns about the sensitivity of the DNA analysis and the ability of the chosen DNA "lynx marker" to differentiate between lynx and bobcat.

• In March, 2001, the Forest Service determined that the analysis and lynx distribution data from the 1999 study was unverifiable.

• Utilizing the protocol developed by the Rocky Mountain Research Station, the interagency lynx survey was begun in Washington in the summer of 1999. Local WDFW biologists agreed to participate and assist the Forest Service, but biologists from WDFW as well as Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service continued to question the accuracy of the earlier DNA analysis and the lynx distribution data drawn from that study.

• In September, 1999, a WDFW wildlife biologist submitted three unauthorized control samples from a bobcat pelt. Although the biologist did notify his immediate supervisor, he did not notify the lead agency, the U.S. Forest Service, until March, 2000.

• These samples were subsequently determined by the lab to have "no quality", presumably due to difficulties in obtaining DNA from hair that has gone through a chemical tanning process.

• In September, 2000, another WDFW biologist submitted a single unauthorized control sample taken from a captive lynx. The biologist notified his supervisor, but again failed in making sure that the proper coordination was done with the U.S. Forest Service. Approximately six months later, the U.S. Forest Service announced an independent investigation into the submittal of unauthorized samples by biologists from the WDFW , the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

• With the onset of the investigation in February, the U.S. Forest Service contacted the lab and notified them of samples that were submitted outside of protocol, therefore the WDFW lynx sample that was submitted was not analyzed.

• The third-party investigation concluded in June, 2001 that a total of seven biologists, including two from WDFW, submitted unauthorized control samples to test the validity of the DNA analysis. Furthermore, the investigation resulted in the determination that there was no intent on the part of the biologists to defraud or undermine the study. According to the investigation and supported by WDFW's own review, the intent was to insure the study's scientific validity.

• WDFW's own review of the incident led to corrective actions for two biologists and one supervisor for the submittal of the unauthorized samples. The biologists were removed from the study and other corrective actions including mandatory training, and reassignment of work activities were taken.

• At the same time, WDFW conducted a review of protocols for scientific data collection activities. As a result, improved procedures are being put in place that will strengthen data collection standards and guidelines, and biologist training on the use, and implementation of scientific protocol is being expanded.

Return to WDFW Home Page