Reintroduction Projects
© Vedran Slijepcevic
Ongoing Projects
«Lynx Thuringia. Connecting Lynx populations across Europe.»
The project Lynx Thuringia aims to give the lynx a permanent future in the Thuringian Forest, and to connect the already existing populations in the Harz Mountains and in the Bavarian Forest. To reach this goal, the project aims to actively release up to 20 lynxes into the Thuringian Forest between 2024 and 2027. The new central German lynx population should become part of a larger European metapopulation. Lynx Thuringia brings together players from nature conservation, forestry, hunting and science to jointly create the future for the Eurasian lynx in central Germany.
«RElynx Saxony»
The lynx is to be reintroduced to Saxony. For this reason, between 2024 and 2027, up to 20 Carpathian lynx (Lynx lynx carpathicus) will be reintroduced into the wild in the Erz and Elbe Sandstone Mountains.
The «RELynx Saxony» project is being implemented by the Saxon State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG) and is being coordinated by the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History in Görlitz.
The aim is to establish a reproducing population of lynx in Saxony's forests, which, in conjunction with other lynx populations in Germany and Europe, will contribute to long-term conservation of the species.
«Lynx Baden-Württemberg»
The lynx population in Baden-Württemberg forms the so-called Upper Rhine lynx metapopulation together with the neighbouring populations in the Jura Arc and Alpine region as well as the Palatinate Forest and the Vosges Mountains. Over the last twenty years, individual male lynx have repeatedly migrated to Baden-Württemberg, especially from the Swiss Jura. In order to establish a reproducing lynx population in Baden-Württemberg, 6-10 (in particular female) animals are now to be released into the wild in Baden-Württemberg, particularly in the Black Forest, in the upcoming four years. In order to protect remaining wild populations, genetically valuable animals from captive-bred Carpathian lynx are to be released. The following goals are also being pursued:
- Improving the genetic and population-ecological stability of an Upper Rhine lynx metapopulation
- Creating acceptance and trust among hunters and landowners with regard to the lynx and lynx management
- Improving the connectivity between the Black Forest and neighbouring lynx habitats
The project is being carried out by the Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg (FVA) in close cooperation with the Hunting Association Baden-Württemberg, WWF Germany and Karlsruhe Zoo.
Completed Projects
«LIFE Lynx»
The LIFE Lynx project entitled "Preventing the Extinction of the Dinaric-SE Alpine Lynx Population Through Reinforcement and Long-term Conservation" (LIFE16 NAT/SI/000634) was implemented in the 2017 – 2024 period, co-financed by European Commission LIFE program. Eleven partner institutions from 5 countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Slovakia and Romania) implemented diverse activities with the goal to stop the extinction of Dinaric and south-east Alpine lynx populations. The most challenging part was the translocation of 18 lynxes from Slovakia and Romania to Slovenia and Croatia. Twelve lynxes were released to Dinaric Mountains to reinforce the inbred Dinaric populations, and six animals were released to SE Alps to create a stepping stone population and enable the long-term population viability.