Members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildife were found to be involved. They had put the Canadian lynx hair on rubbing posts. DNA testing showed the hair matched two lynx who were in captivity.

This group of bad news biologists said they were just trying to test the lab's ability to identify it as lynx hair.

The employees, who were not identified, were removed from the project after they were talked to about their actions.