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The Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is poorly documented in southwest Alaska, where dominant habitats are generally not conducive to supporting persistent Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) or Lynx populations. We compiled recent and historic records from southwest Alaska that collectively suggest that persistent Lynx populations occur at the base of the Alaska Peninsula where boreal forest transitions to open tundra habitats. Records show that Lynx, at least periodically, also occur throughout the entirety of the Alaska Peninsula and that a self-sustaining and relatively isolated population occurs in an isolated stand of Poplar forest near Mother Goose Lake, which probably represents one of the westernmost Lynx populations in North America. These records extend the known distribution of the species by approximately 380 km southwest along the Alaska Peninsula. These records also suggest that Lynx occur in areas where Snowshoe Hare are rare or absent, and that other prey species may facilitate the per...

After being virtually ignored, bats in northwestern Canada and Alaska have recently been subject to increasing attention by scientists, resource managers, and the public. We review recent advances in bat research in the region and identify key priorities for future research, including what we believe is needed to provide a more coordinated approach to filling in these knowledge gaps. Our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of bats has improved considerably as a result of dedicated survey efforts. Scientists have provided a tantalizing glimpse into the natural history and ecology of bats in far northwestern North America and some of the unexpected adaptations they exhibit in response to the challenges imposed by northern environments. Despite these recent advances, further work is required to document the distribution of bats in the region; identify key summer roosting habitats and hibernacula; assess population status and trends; evaluate the impact of anthropogenic change and develop mit...

A review of bat specimens housed at the University of Alaska Museum confirms the occurrence of the Yuma Myotis (Myotis yumanensis) in Southeast Alaska. This represents only the 7th bat species known from the state and its 1st new bat in >40 y. All known specimens of the Yuma Myotis were collected in the early 1990s. Reasons why this species escaped detection until now are discussed and include its close morphological resemblence to the more common and widespread Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), the general inaccessibility of much of Southeast Alaska, and a historical paucity of field and specimen-based studies of bats from this region. The presence of the Yuma Myotis in Alaska, while not surprising, suggests that we still have much to learn about the basic biology, ecology, and biogeography of this and other bat species in and around Alaska. Such information is critical if we are to monitor the effects of climate change and other anthropogenic factors on organisms at the limits of their ge...

Until recently, bats were among the least studied terrestrial vertebrates in northwestern Canada and Alaska (Parker and others 1997; Jung and others 2006). Concern over the anticipated westward spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS), as well as other drivers (for example, landscape change, climate change), has resulted in a growing scientific and management interest in bats in this vast region (Blejwas and others 2014; Olson and others 2014; Wilson and others 2014), with recent studies producing interesting new findings (for example, Slough and Jung 2008; Boland and others 2009; Randall and others 2011). In particular, our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of species in northwestern Canada and Alaska has advanced significantly in recent years (see papers in this issue), and these data represent the necessary first step in baseline and environmental impact studies as well as conservation planning. Bats living at high latitudes face unique environmental conditions (such as short, bright summers), and several studies have begun to illuminate how the life history and ecology of bats in the far north are unique and where they may (or may not) differ with conspecifics at more southerly latitudes (for example, Talerico 2008; Reimer and others 2014). Unfortunately, much of the recent work has remained unpublished and unavailable to others with an interest in bats in the region. As such, our primary goal with this special issue is to bring to light recent advances in bat research in northwestern Canada and Alaska. The impetus for this special issue arose from a symposium and workshop on ‘‘Bat Ecology in Alaska: Assessing the Risk of WNS’’, organized by Karen Blejwas (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) and Link Olson (University of Alaska Museum), and held in conjunction with the Alaska Chapter of The Wildlife Society’s 2012 annual conference in Anchorage, Alaska. The symposium marked the first gathering of bat researchers from Alaska and northwestern Canada (Fig. 1) and spawned the Northern Bat Working Group (NBWG), a network of likeminded scientists and enthusiasts recognizing, and striving to address, the need for better communication and coordination among bat researchers and managers. Karen Blejwas and Miranda Terwilliger (US National Park Service) were elected the group’s first Co-Chairs. Another outcome was the notion of a special journal issue to capture some of the recent advances in our knowledge of bats in the region. The 13 papers that comprise this special issue are a combination of select presentations delivered at the 2012 symposium and others solicited from researchers we knew were producing interesting findings on bats in the region. (Our apologies to those we may have missed.) For the purpose of this special issue, our region of interest included Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and the northern portions ($546N latitude) of Alberta and British Columbia. This area spans several ecoregions, including the northern Pacific Coast and the expansive boreal forest of the interior. Much of the work presented in this issue advances our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of bats in the region. This is indicative of the expansiveness and remoteness of the region and the concomitant logistical challenges faced by bat biologists. Other works included in this special issue provide an NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 95:173–175 WINTER 2014

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