Pioneer Finja: Lynx cat explores the northern Black Forest for possible young lynx

Von Alexander Schneider

The return of the lynx to Baden-Württemberg: Finja explores the northern Black Forest

Since the release of the Luchskatze Finja last December, she has successfully settled in her new habitat in the northern Black Forest. With her lye-typical behavior and its forays through the region, Finja laid the foundation for a permanent and healthy lynx population in Baden-Württemberg. This was announced by the Minister of Nutrition, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection, Peter Hauk, and thus emphasized the importance of the release project for the preservation of the animal species in the region.

As part of the four -year project, up to ten primarily female lynxes in the Black Forest are to be settled to found a population. The hope is also on the Luchs, which was already located in the northern black forest, Toni, who immigrated from the Swiss Jura in 2019. A genetic connection with lynx deposits from the Swiss Jura, the Palatinate Forest and the Vosges should enable an exchange in the long term and strengthen the genetic variety of population.

It is particularly gratifying that Finja has already left traces of her successful hunting behavior. With a preference for deer, foxes and rabbits, it shows typical behavior of wild lynx and thus proves their adaptability to the natural conditions in the northern Black Forest.

The cooperation with the hunters and the scientific support of the project by the forestry and research institution Baden-Württemberg play a crucial role in monitoring and support for the lynx population. Thanks to the cooperation of the hunters, important information about the behavior of the lynxes can be collected and possible conflicts recognized at an early stage.

Hope for the first youngsters in the Black Forest is great because the lynx meet and communicate during mating time between February and April. The upcoming rancid could provide evidence of whether Finja and Toni have already met and will take care of young people.

The project for inventory support, initiated by the Ministry of Nutrition, Rural Area and Consumer Protection Baden-Württemberg, is implemented in cooperation with various partners and accompanied by Luchsinitiative e.V. Through targeted measures and the release of genetically suitable animals, the lynx population in the Black Forest should be strengthened in the long term.

Overall, the return of the lynx to Baden-Württemberg represents an important step for species protection and contributes to the preservation of biological diversity in the region. With Finja as a pioneer and her fellow species, the return of the lynx to Baden-Württemberg becomes a promising project with great potential for the future.