What is different in the Canton of Lucerne?
The number of lynxes in the Canton of Lucerne is declining, even though suitable habitats for these wild cats exist.
Lynx populations isolated and genetically impoverished
The release of the first pair of lynxes in the Melchtal in the Canton of Obwalden in April 1971 was a pioneering achievement.
However, 50 years after reintroduction, there is cause for concern. Switzerland's lynx populations are isolated and increasingly genetically impoverished. There is barely any exchange between the populations.
Currently, there are once again only a few lynxes in Lucerne, mainly in the border areas with Obwalden and Bern.
A third of lynxes die from poaching
The lack of genetic diversity among lynxes is a growing concern. The occurrence of heart murmurs in the Alpine lynx population may be attributable to this genetic problem.
Although a third of lynxes die from poaching, no documented cases of poaching are known in Lucerne. The deliberate killing of a protected species is a criminal offence under the Federal Hunting Act and is punishable by imprisonment or fines.
Wild boars avoid Central Switzerland
It is also practically impossible to observe that wild boars are colonising Central Switzerland. Lucerne, for example, borders the cantons of Zurich, Aargau and Bern, which are heavily populated by wild boars, and yet colonisation within the Canton of Lucerne has not really taken place over the past 20 years.
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