Lynx from the Zurich Wilderness Park released into the wild in Germany

In spring 2023, two female lynx were born at Zurich Langenberg Wilderness Park. Even back then, they were seen as hopefuls who could help preserve the Eurasian lynx in Europe, as the Zurich Wilderness Park is involved in the European conservation breeding program for the lynx. Yesterday evening the time had come: one of the two sisters was released into the wild in the Thuringian Forest.

European lynx populations are poorly connected

The wild lynx populations in Western and Central Europe are under threat. The individual populations are sometimes very isolated from each other, which means that the animals are threatened by inbreeding. For this reason, projects are underway in many European countries for the targeted reintroduction or population support of the lynx. The Linking Lynx network, which brings together lynx experts from all over Europe, plays an important role in this context.
-experts from all over Europe come together with the aim of creating a networked and thus viable metapopulation of lynx in Europe.

Zurich Wilderness Park prepares lynxes for the wild

The lynx facility at Langenberg Zoo is one of the few in Europe where young lynx can be prepared for an independent life in the wild. They are reared with as little human contact as possible and are only given food animals that are similar to those in the wild - for example deer and stags, skin and hair.

Thanks to donations, the Zurich Wilderness Park Foundation is able to meet the strict requirements: In addition to the careful selection of food and feeding using special automatic feeders, this also includes near-natural planting that provides plenty of cover in the large enclosure.

Reintroduction of lynx in Thuringia

The lynx population in the Thuringian Forest is intended to link the previously isolated populations in the Harz Mountains and the Bavarian Forest. Up to 20 lynx are to be reintroduced between 2024 and 2027 so that a stable population can develop in the Thuringian Forest in the long term. (More about the project www.luchs-thueringen.de)

The reintroductions began in mid-May 2024. The female lynx from the Zurich Langenberg Wilderness Park is the fourth animal to be released into the wild, together with a male from Nuremberg Zoo. This is in the hope that the two might mate with each other. Genetically, they are a good match. They were selected by those responsible for the European Conservation Breeding Program.

The name of the lynx: Vreni

All lynx released into the wild in the Thuringian Forest are given a name by those responsible for the project. The female from the Zurich Wilderness Park was christened Vreni - the shy one. She was a very shy animal right from the start," explains Martin Kilchenmann, Head of Animals at Zurich Wilderness Park. "Thanks to this trait, she was selected for release into the wild."

Further information:

Zurich Wilderness Park: Mirella Wepf, Project Manager Communications, 044 722 55 22, mirella.wepf@wildnispark.ch

Linking Lynx: Dr. Kristina Vogt, Linking Lynx Coordinator, KORA Foundation, 031 951 70 40, k.vogt@kora.ch

Project Lynx Thuringia:
Dr. Markus Port, +49 160 98011164, m.port@bund-thueringen.de
Dr. Max Boxleitner, +49 151 18854867, max.boxleitner@wwf.de

Image and film material

Below you will find film sequences and a photo in high resolution as ZIP.

Captions:

Photo: Female lynx Vreni was born in the Zurich Langenberg Wilderness Park. Yesterday evening the animal was released into the wild in the Thuringian Forest (Germany). Here the female lynx leaves the acclimatization enclosure at the release site. Source: Zurich Wilderness Park / Alexander Sommer.

Video: At the same time as Vreni, the male Kilian from Nuremberg Zoo was released into the wild. The video shows Kilian first, followed by Vreni. She can be recognized by the more pronounced pattern on her fur. source: Zurich Wilderness Park / Alexander Sommer.