WHY LYNX?

The Eurasian lynx was once quite common in most of Europe. Nevertheless, most original populations became extinct or their abundance has been dramatically reduced in the last two centuries due to hunting and landscape changes. In many areas lynx was intentionally eradicated by humans, but starting from the 1970s, the lynx was ensured legal protection and reintroduction programmes began.

There is no doubt that lynx conservation is a challenging issue. We humans have already destabilized its populations by altering their natural habitat and by hunting. For a long time, lynx was a highly appreciated trophy and considered as a highly un-appreciated, damage-causing animal. The decline of this species has already caused great costs to society from a financial, cultural, and ethical point of view. Now we are trying to reverse this negative trend through several small and large initiatives. The challenge is to integrate lynx monitoring, conservation, and management of conflicts between stakeholders. With the right incentives things can change. This is why the project was created and approved.