Journal
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Volume 297, Issue 2, Pages 87-98Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12260
Keywords
Eurasian lynx; natal den; rugged terrain; disturbance; human activity; maternal behaviour; habitat selection; den site selection
Categories
Funding
- Norwegian Environment Agency
- Research Council of Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
- Environmental Affairs office of Hedmark
- Environmental Affairs office of Buskerud
- Environmental Affairs office of Oppland
- Environmental Affairs office of Akershus
- Environmental Affairs office of Ostfold
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In carnivores, securing suitable den sites with associated early maternal home ranges is important for successful reproduction, and understanding natal den site selection is essential to ensure that these habitats are protected from human disturbance. This study investigated Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx natal den site selection across multiple use landscapes in Norway and explores whether the selection of early maternal home ranges across southern Norway involved a trade-off of security for access to their preferred prey species, roe deer Capreolus capreolus. The characteristics of natal dens and home ranges from 33 reproductive events were quantified across south-eastern and northern Norway. Natal dens were located in terrain further from the most accessible and disturbed areas (public roads) and in terrain more rugged than generally available. Early maternal home ranges were characterized by low human and low road density in rugged terrain and a selection for areas associated with higher or lower roe deer densities was not important in our analysis. Humans are the dominant cause of lynx mortality throughout Norway and our findings suggest that female lynx primarily chose areas that limited their interaction with people during the denning period.
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