Spokane

Nothing malicious in lynx hoax, wildlife officials tell panel

Richard Roesler
Staff writer

OLYMPIA -- No "eco-terrorism." No rogue biologists intent on some wildlife land-grab. Just well-meaning people trying to quietly verify a testing lab's accuracy.

That -- interspersed with many, many mea culpas -- was the upshot of more than a hour of testimony by state and federal officials whose biologists improperly sneaked samples of captive bobcat and lynx fur into a central Washington lynx study.

The scandal angered some rural lawmakers, who surmised that the biologists intended to suggest the lynx's central and northeastern Washington territory is larger than it really is.

"We have totally emasculated communities in the name of the ESA (Endangered Species Act)," said Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis. "Now you want me to go back to my community and say `trust us. Trust government. We're here to help you.' I've lost the ability to do that."

But wildlife officials told the House and Senate natural resource committees Wednesday that the biologists intended no fraud or malice.

"Certainly, a very significant error in judgment," said Phil Mattson, from the U.S. Forest Service's Portland office.

Here's what happened, Mattson said:

As part of a national study last year of wild lynx habitat, two state biologists, two others from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and three from the Forest Service submitted samples of captive bobcat and lynx hair.

The biologists say the samples were intended as scientific "controls" to make sure that the lab could distinguish bobcat and lynx, which have very similar DNA.

Some lawmakers were skeptical that the biologists could be submitting the faked samples without each others' knowledge.

"That doesn't ring true," said Sen. Dan McDonald, R-Bellevue.

But wildlife officials said the biologists were concerned about previous lab work that incorrectly showed lynx habitat was much larger than previously thought.

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