Wyoming Lynx Survey Finds No Evidence of Wildcats’ Return Despite Track Sightings

An extensive survey of Wyoming’s potential lynx habitat over the 2023-24 winter yielded no photographic evidence of the elusive wildcats, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyo File reports.

The effort, involving over 100,000 images captured by 23 remote camera traps, was designed to verify if lynx—classified as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act—still inhabit the state. The survey focused on Wyoming’s best-suited areas for lynx, particularly the east slope of the Wyoming Range, but no lynx were captured on camera.

The survey follows a rare lynx sighting in 2022 when a houndsman photographed a treed lynx in the Gros Ventre Range, reigniting hopes that the species might still reside in the region. However, federal wildlife officials have long considered lynx “functionally extirpated” from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Despite the absence of photographic proof, some locals remain skeptical about the wildcats’ complete absence. Sublette County resident Jonathan Ratner, who claims to have found multiple lynx tracks over the past two decades, argues that sightings are not merely of transient animals passing through. He suggests that lynx may still exist in Wyoming, despite official conclusions.

Wyoming’s next official lynx survey is expected in winter 2028-29, contingent on funding.