The state of Idaho has been hit with a lawsuit from five environmental groups because of incidents where Canada lynx, which are protected under federal law, are inadvertently caught during recreational trapping.

The lynx is a threatened species whose population in the U.S. is estimated to be in the hundreds. The lawsuit alleges that the state of Idaho is in violation of the Endangered Species Act by allowing recreational trapping that sometimes results in a lynx being caught by accident, the Associated Press reported.

"Idaho can't just ignore federal law and go on condoning the trapping of this rare and magnificent cat," Amy Atwood of the Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement.

The five groups behind the lawsuit are Western Watersheds Project, the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Clearwater, WildEarth Guardians and Western Environmental Law Center. They contend that the state needs to apply for an "incidental take" permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow recreational trapping under law.

With nearly 2,000 licenses issued in 2012-'13, the groups say that an incidental take permit is necessary to protect the lynx as trapping becomes more popular. Additionally, the conservation advocates are pushing for a plan from the state Department of Fish and Game to place regulations on certain types of snares and traps as well as requirements for daily trap checks in lynx habitats.

The requirement will be issued if officials decide that an incidental take permit is needed to trap other animals and that the lynx population would not be harmed overall if a cat is accidently caught once in a while.

"Idaho officials need to understand that a healthy Idaho population of this mountain cat is critical, not just to lynx survival here, but across the western United States," said Travis Bruner, executive director of the Western Watershed Project, said in a statement quoted by the AP. "We have to maintain a healthy breeding mix between Rockies and Canadian populations, and Idaho sits at the crossroads."

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