Living amidst a sea of agriculture: predicting the occurrence of Canada lynx within an ecological island

摘要: Carnivore populations are increasingly confined to reserves surrounded by anthropogenic development. The boundaries of ecological islands risky because habitat loss and human—carnivore conflict. From snow track survey data collected over a 5-winter period we developed population-level resource selection function for Canada lynx Lynx canadensis in Riding Mountain National Park, Canada. This park has been characterized as an ‘ecological island situated amidst sea agricultural land’ while protected within the park, they subject harvest outside park. Winter increased with higher elevation highly suitable snowshoe hare Lepus americanus decreased greater proportions agriculture grasslands, both which common along edge Habitat medium high relative probabilities occurrence tended be distributed interior However, highest probability was associated near southeast border close proximity human community lake where snowmobiling, skiing, snowshoeing recreational pursuits. We attribute this relationship 25-year old fire presently created successional correspondingly area. Our results suggest that tends is their primary prey even if located sources activity.