REPUBLIC — For the first time in more than four decades, Canada lynx kittens have been confirmed in the Kettle Range in Ferry County, marking a historic milestone in the Colville Tribes’ efforts to restore the species to its traditional habitat. Tribal spokesman Chance Garvin says the kittens are 2-3 weeks old.
The Colville Confederated Tribes’ Fish and Wildlife (CCT F&W) program announced the news this week, celebrating the culmination of years of conservation work and field research. The presence of the kittens — called wápupxn in the Colville dialect — signals a breakthrough in the tribe’s mission to re-establish a self-sustaining lynx population in the region.
“This momentous news is the culmination of years of work by a dedicated group of biologists committed to returning wápupxn to this area,” the program shared in its statement.
The restoration effort began in earnest on November 2, 2021, when the first male and female lynx were released onto the Colville Reservation. Since then, biologists have used GPS collars to monitor the cats, documenting dispersal, home range development, habitat preferences, mortality, and denning behavior.
After nearly four years of tracking and research, their persistence has paid off — with confirmed live lynx kittens now roaming the Kettles once again.
“Welcome home wápupxn,” the tribe wrote.
The Canada lynx, once native to the Kettle Range, had disappeared from the area due to habitat loss, trapping, and other pressures. The reintroduction project represents a significant success for tribal-led wildlife management and species recovery in the Pacific Northwest.