July 10, 2024, 10:05 am | Read time: 3 minutes
The lynx population established in the Harz Mountains in 2000 has grown steadily in recent years. The effects this has on humans, and how the occurrence will continue to develop, are discussed below.
According to the Harz National Park administration, the lynx population is spreading out well. They are now native to an area of around 900 square kilometers (about 348 square miles), explained Ole Anders, who is responsible for the lynx at the national park. However, there is no current danger to humans or their livestock.
The Harz’ lynx population was established between 2000 and 2006 near the Lower Saxony mountain town of Sankt Andreasberg (district of Goslar). The lynxes originated from enclosure breeding, with offspring now having been born in the wild. Over 100 animals now belong to the population. The population extends as far as Solling and the neighboring federal states of Hesse, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt.
The lynx were wiped out in Europe in 1850
There used to be lynxes almost everywhere in Europe. However, due to increasing settlements leading to the progressive clearing of forests, the lynx disappeared from large parts of western and Central Europe in the 19th century. In addition, the lynx were considered a livestock predator and were systematically and mercilessly hunted. In 1850, the last German lynx was killed in the Alps. Since then, the lynx has been considered extinct.
It was not until over a hundred years later that the first projects were launched to reintroduce the lynx to Europe. Despite the increase in the number of animals, the population is still too small to ensure their long-term survival in German forests.
Lynx in the Harz Mountains: “Living with large wild animals requires acceptance”
Unlike the wolf, the lynx is less of a threat to humans and livestock, says lynx expert Anders. The largest sum ever paid out to compensate for livestock damage was 3900 euros in 2017. Since then, payouts have always been lower. The current average is around 1438 euros. Despite the growth in the lynxes’ presence, no increasing trend in livestock kills can be seen at the moment, said Anders. Most recently, the killing of a sheep in Altenau (district of Goslar) at the beginning of March drew some attention.
Like with wolves, people can protect themselves with fences. However, wild cats can jump higher than wolves, Anders points out. “Living together with large wild animals, no matter what species, always requires acceptance by the farming community.”
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Hope alone is not enough to preserve the lynx population in the Harz Mountains
With the positive growth in numbers, the presence of the lynx in the Harz Mountains is an exception compared to the rest of Europe, said Anders. He hoped that the positive trend would continue. Most European lynx populations are not sufficiently networked. There is therefore a risk of inbreeding or the extinction of individual populations in the coming years. One problem is that females in particular are deterred by highways and forest-free areas.
Conservationists, therefore, regularly call for the construction of new wildlife bridges, among other things. European lynx experts are also considering relocating individual animals in order to bring new blood into the populations. The topic will also be discussed at a conference in the Harz Mountains in May. “Just hoping that lynx populations will grow together naturally could lead to the loss of some lynx populations,” said Anders.
With material from dpa