SWI swissinfo.ch - English
It's been 50 years since lynx were reintroduced to the wild in Switzerland after dying out. The species became extinct due to population growth leading to forest conversion and hunting. It is believed the last lynx in the Swiss Alps was killed in 1894. When large-scale deforestation came to an end, deer populations dramatically recovered, creating the right ecological conditions for a return. About 14 lynx were transferred in the 1970s from the Carpathian Mountains to the Swiss Alps. Six lynx were also transferred in 2001 from the northwestern Swiss Alps to the eastern side. It’s estimated there are now about 250 of the wild cats in Switzerland, but scientists fear that the lack of contact between the separate populations could lead to a decrease in the gene pool, threatening their long-term survival in the wild.
It's been 50 years since lynx were reintroduced to the wild in Switzerland after dying out. The species became extinct due to population growth leading to forest conversion and hunting. It is believed the last lynx in the Swiss Alps was killed in 1894. When large-scale deforestation came to an end, deer populations dramatically recovered, creating the right ecological conditions for a return. About 14 lynx were transferred in the 1970s from the Carpathian Mountains to the Swiss Alps. Six lynx were also transferred in 2001 from the northwestern Swiss Alps to the eastern side. It’s estimated there are now about 250 of the wild cats in Switzerland, but scientists fear that the lack of contact between the separate populations could lead to a decrease in the gene pool, threatening their long-term survival in the wild.