State wildlife officials have temporarily banned the use of lethal traps in parts of the state where Canadian lynx are common.
Lynx are a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.
James Connolly, of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, says the emergency ban became necessary after two lynx were killed in traps in northern Maine in recent weeks.
"It gives us the opportunity to immediately address the issue with trappers," Connolly says, "and what it does is it eliminates the use of body-gripping traps, those conibear traps, on leaning pole sets."
The traps, used to catch other animals such as fisher and marten, will not be permitted above ground or snow level for the next 90 days.