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After first confirmed sighting in 6 years, this rare cat is roaming Vermont

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After first confirmed sighting in 6 years, this rare cat is roaming Vermont


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Canada lynx are often mistaken for bobcats, but they are exceedingly rare in the lower 48. A juvenile male is now roaming Vermont.

For the first time in six years, some Vermont residents have officially caught sight of an elusive creature: the Canada lynx. 

In August, officials with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department confirmed that a Canada lynx had been spotted in the state for the first time since 2018. It was captured on video in Rutland County. 

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Now, officials are saying that that same individual cat has roamed about 60 miles north, into Addison County. The animal is traveling about a dozen miles at a time, staying in the same area for a few days, and then moving on again. When Canada lynx are seen in Vermont, they are overwhelmingly found in the state’s Northeast Kingdom area. Officials explicitly said that Rutland County is not a suitable habitat for lynx. 

“We’ve had 15 confirmed lynx sightings since August and signs point to these all being the same dispersing juvenile male,” Brehan Furfey, a furbearer biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Department, said in a statement this week. “The lynx has moved steadily north from Rutland County into Addison County. That’s a conservation success in its own right because Vermont’s network of protected lands is what makes this journey possible. We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat.”

More videos of the cat were posted to social media by the department this week. 

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There are four types of lynx: the Canada lynx, the bobcat, the Iberian lynx, and the Eurasian lynx. Bobcats roam much of the United States, and are easy to mistake for Canada lynx. The latter, however, is much more rare in the lower 48, where they are listed as a threatened species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can only confirm the presence of stable lynx populations in Maine, Montana, Washington, and Colorado.

Most reports of Canada lynx end up being bobcat sightings. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has received over 160 reports of lynx since 2016, but only seven of these were confirmed. The two can be easily distinguished by their tails. Bobcats have both black and white on their tails, while the tail tips of Canada lynx are entirely black.

Juvenile lynx often travel long distances in a search for new territory, a process called “dispersal.” This particular one appears notably thin, but experts say that should not be a cause for alarm. 

“Although this lynx appears to be on the thinner side, its calm behavior around passing cars as reported by observers is not unusual for a dispersing individual,” Furfey said in a statement in August. “This lynx was probably just focused on finding food in an area where hares are not abundant and on avoiding competition with bobcats and fishers while passing through southern Vermont.”

Canada lynx prefer to hunt snowshoe hare, and both species need young forest habitats and reliable snowpack to thrive. In more southern areas, they can hunt grouse and small rodents. 

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The animal was listed as a threatened species in the lower 48 in 2000, after populations took a hit from deforestation and trapping. 

Generally, the animals are not a threat to humans. Those that think they have spotted one are encouraged to take a photo or video and send it to the Fish and Wildlife Department. However, people should maintain a respectful distance from the cat.

“Vermonters can be proud that decades of land protection and management for connected habitats have allowed this rare wild cat to make its way through our state,” Furfey said. “It’s a sign that conservation is working.”





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Vermont

Vermont (VPA) high school football scores, live updates (10/4/2024)

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October 4, 2024

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Vermont (VPA) high school football scores, live updates (10/4/2024)


The 2024 Vermont high school football season continues this week with several big matchups across the state, including a big matchup with Essex hosting Rutland on Friday (October 4th).

Follow SBLive Vermont throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

You can follow all of the VPA football games and get updated scores by tracking the SBLive Vermont High School Football Scoreboard. We will have in-game score updates and all of the final scores from every corner of the state. You can also search for full schedules and complete scores from all of your favorite teams.

Here’s a guide to following all of the Vermont high school football action on Friday night:

VERMONT VPA FOOTBALL SCORES:

STATEWIDE VERMONT FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

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2024 VERMONT FOOTBALL SCHEDULES: FIND YOUR TEAM

Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3

Can’t make it to your favorite team’s game but still want to watch them live? You can watch dozens of Vermont high school football games live on the NFHS Network:

WATCH VPA GAMES LIVE ON NFHS NETWORK

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

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To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

— Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports



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Warm Hues Sprawl Across Vermont as Fall Foliage Hits Peak Color

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October 4, 2024

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Warm Hues Sprawl Across Vermont as Fall Foliage Hits Peak Color


Warm hues of red, orange, and yellow sprawled across northern Vermont as parts of the state’s fall foliage hit peak color on Wednesday, October 2. John Rowe captured this drone footage in Westmore, Vermont. According to foliage trackers, colors would be at their peak in northern Vermont over the first two weeks of October. Credit: John Rowe Photos via Storyful



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West Windsor moves to regulate short-term rentals

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October 3, 2024

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West Windsor moves to regulate short-term rentals


West Windsor is the latest town to adopt an ordinance regulating short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs or VRBOs.

The select board last month approved the new zoning regulation that requires property owners to register with the town every year.

Select Board Chairman Mark Higgins says the town has seen a big increase in short-term rentals since a local mountain bike and trails system opened nearby, and the board adopted the ordinance to address a housing shortage.

“We’ve got a housing issue,” Higgins said. “So we’re trying to figure out how a mountain, a hotel, a general store and STRs all work together to make sure this place stays vibrant.”

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The number of short-term rentals across the state increased by more than 30% in just the last year, according to the most recent data — and since the pandemic, it’s more than doubled.

West Windsor is near the Mount Ascutney trail system, as well as the tourist town of Woodstock.

“We have a lot of people who love to come here,” said Higgins. “This is a land of second homes, but there’s a difference between enjoying it and monetizing it, so we’re trying to find the line between those two things.”

This is a land of second homes, but there’s a difference between enjoying it and monetizing it, so we’re trying to find the line between those two things.

Mark Higgins, West Windsor select board chairman

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Under the new ordinance, which will start in May 2025, local operators would pay an annual fee of $150 per bedroom, while operators who do not live nearby would pay $300 per bedroom.

“I’m not really a fan of charging more based on residential status,” said Julie Marks, the Vermont Short Term Rental Alliance executive director. “However, that price point, I think, is absolutely reasonable.”

Marks says her group does not oppose local ordinances, but says they try to get members to engage with local select boards while the ordinance is under discussion to support what she calls “reasonable” regulations.

“It’s a very nuanced industry, and new to a lot of these markets,” Marks said. “There a lot of folks who are unfamiliar with how it works, so we’re very supportive of short-term rental operators to get involved with the conversation as early on as possible.”

The state enacted a 3% tax on short-term rentals in August, largely to address the education tax increase property owners saw this year.

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Marks says more than 20 towns in Vermont have adopted local short-term rental ordinances.

Corey Dockser contributed the data visualization to this story.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message.





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