Determining Habitat use and Required Habitats
GPS locations will provide new information on lynx habitat use, exploratory movements, and activity that has never before been obtainable. Because multiple locations are collected each day with an expected precision of about 10 meters, we will be able to compare cover types selected to cover types that are available in the local area, and cover types that are available in a larger area with GIS analysis. In addition, because of the activity information that is available from the Lotek GPS collars, we will also be able to compare typical activity patterns in each cover type that is used by lynx.
Finally, we will be able to analyze GPS collar locations as a time series of animal movement. If any animals make exploratory movements, we will have a record that is unobtainable through VHF telemetry techniques (Squires and Laurion 2000). The activity counts again become very informative here, providing information on the extent of activity while the lynx is on an exploratory movement, and how that activity pattern differs from the daily activity pattern it typically has. In addition, we will also be able to determine the types of cover types that lynx choose to use while on their exploratory movements, which has management implications such as the implementation of travel corridors.