Lynx Rebound in Colorado

The year ended happily for state biologists with news that six more lynx kittens have been found in Colorado -- bringing to at least 36 born in 2004 and 52 since the restoration program began five years ago.

The discoveries, confirmed in December, are the latest positive developments in a program that got off to a rocky start when four of the first five transplanted Canada lynx starved to death.

At least 85 of 166 cats released in southwest Colorado since 1999 are known to be alive.

Teams tracking the lynx reported that at least 16 kittens were found in 2003, followed by 13 litters in 2004. Further stoking biologists’ enthusiasm was confirmation that female lynx released in April 2003 gave birth in 2004 and that several that had kittens in 2003 had more in 2004.