Lynxes successfully reintroduced in the Palatinate Forest
Six years after the launch of an EU project to reintroduce the lynx in the Palatinate Forest and the Northern Vosges, Environment Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) has drawn a positive final conclusion.
Experts from the Nature and Environment Foundation of Rhineland-Palatinate resettled 20 lynxes over the course of five years, originating from the Slovak Carpathians and Switzerland.
A success story for species protection
The Palatinate Forest is one of the largest contiguous forested areas in Germany. Together with the Northern Vosges in France, it forms a biosphere reserve.
«The reintroduction of the endangered lynx in the Palatinate Forest–Northern Vosges Biosphere Reserve is a success story for species conservation», the minister declared on Saturday, 11 September 2021, at a closing event for the EU Life project. In the region where the wild animals were once naturally distributed but then eradicated, they have now re-established themselves.
At least 18 cubs born
The first cubs following the reintroduction were born in 2017. In total, at least 18 cubs from 9 litters have been born to date. This year also saw the first documented lynx offspring in the Northern Vosges since the 17th century. The Ministry of the Environment supported the reintroduction of the lynx with 400,000 euros and provided additional funds for a compensation scheme and preventive measures.
