Sample collection
The Canada lynx and bobcat analysis was continental, incorporating the
entire range of Canada lynx, and the area of range overlap with bobcat
at the southern extent of Canada (see Koen et al., 2014). Hide samples
(2.5 mm × 2.5 mm) of legally trapped individuals were collected from the
North American Fur Auction. Species assignments were initially made by
the trappers who harvest the animals, and then confirmed by fur graders
at the auction house and our sampling team. In total, we assessed 1,899
Canada lynx samples and 750 bobcat samples, in addition to 2
introgressed lynx and 5 introgressed bobcat samples identified in Koen
et al., (2014) (Table 1, Fig. 1). The samples used in this study were a
subset of those used in Koen et al., (2014), with the addition of
western Canada lynx samples used by Prentice et al., (2017a), and Cape
Breton Island lynx samples used by Prentice et al., (2017b).