One year Lycka - 20.03.2021

Exactly today, one year ago, “our” Lycka – as one of the last two lynxes of the big reintroduction project – was released into the wild in the Palatinate Forest.

We are particularly pleased – as sponsors of the lynx Lycka – about the recently published figures on “our lynx project” (https://snu.rlp.de/de/projekte/luchs/wiederansiedlung/), which indicate a particularly great success!

Since the beginning of the reintroduction in Germany meanwhile over 60 lynxes have settled down. In order to increase the number of lynxes in Germany again, 19 additional lynxes were released in the Palatinate Forest in addition to Lycka. From this small group of wild animals, at least 15 cubs have demonstrably emerged, which in turn colonize further areas.

The actually native lynxes make a valuable contribution to the restoration and preservation of a species-rich, original and robust flora and fauna in our forests. It is a matter of the heart for us to make a contribution to this and to give something back to nature through our bond.

The reintroduction of the lynxes, which has not been completed for a long time, is sustainably supported by this great project. We congratulate all project members and especially our co-patron, the Trifels Natur GmbH.

Data and facts

There are currently no populations of lynx with significant increases in any of their areas of occurrence in Germany; in some cases, the populations are only stable due to immigration or releases. For example, the lynx population in Germany is reported to be 77 individuals in 2018; a slight increase is explained by the fact that a reintroduction project was started in the Palatinate Forest (BfN 2018).

The negative impacts of habitat fragmentation and isolation are well known (Anders et al. 2012, Anders et al. 2016, Heurich 2018).

https://www.rote-liste-zentrum.de/de/Detailseite.html?species_uuid=a39363ee-ae06-49ca-96b7-a75539f5be9f&q=luchs

More than 100 lynx roam Germany’s forests: A total of 135 animals were counted last year in a survey by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). In the previous year, the agency reported 114 animals. According to a BfN statement, the increase is mainly due to a reintroduction project in Rhineland-Palatinate. For the first time, the lynx officers recorded two young animals there.

(Taken on 19.03.2021: https://www.n-tv.de/wissen/Luchs-Population-in-Deutschland-waechst-article21069640.html)