Canada lynx to keep species protections under legal deal

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. wildlife officials have agreed to keep species protections in place for Canada lynx.

A federal judge in Montana on Monday approved a settlement between the U.S. Interior Department and environmentalists who had sued to retain protections for the snow-loving wild cats. Lynx have been listed as a threatened species since 2000.

During the Trump administration, officials said the lynx had recovered after their numbers rebounded in some areas. But some scientists and wildlife advocates warn climate change could undo that progress by reducing lynx habitat and the availability of a key food source _ snowshoe hares.

A new recovery plan for lynx is due by 2024.