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Lynx family spotted in the Harz Mountains: A hiker makes the discovery of the year!
Discover the lynxes in the Harz: A hiker meets a lynx family and learns more about the lynx population in the national park.
Lynx family spotted in the Harz Mountains: A hiker makes the discovery of the year!
The Harz is not only known for its impressive viewpoints, but also for the diverse wildlife that attracts numerous hikers. Manfred Werner from Oberkirch, Baden-Württemberg, experienced a very special event on his hike from Schierke to the Brocken: He discovered a lynx family in the forest, consisting of a lynx and four young animals. He captured the moving encounter with a photo so that he could capture a piece of this unique moment. Such sightings are no longer uncommon in the Harz Mountains, as the settlement of lynx is considered a success. Silvester Tamás, coordinator of the NABU lynx project in Thuringia, confirmed that the density of lynx in the national park is now around 150 animals, which is seen as an extremely positive development.
“It turns out that the lynxes are doing well in the Harz,” says Tamás. The fact is that the shy animals need quiet forest areas and safe hiking trails to raise their young. However, these protected areas in the NATURA 2000 network are under pressure from forestry and wood use, which does not make the situation of the animals any easier.
A visit to the lynx enclosure
The lynx enclosure, which provides hidden areas for the animals, still allows visitors to enjoy an almost “fence-free” view of the enclosure landscape from a high platform. The enclosure can only be reached via designated hiking trails, about four and a half kilometers from Bad Harzburg. A cable car known as the Burgberg cable car makes it possible to save about 200 meters in altitude. The walk from the mountain station to the lynx enclosure takes around 60 minutes.
Public connections and accessibility
Further information on the subject of lynx observation and hikes in the Harz can be found on the platforms of News38, Harz National Park and Resin info.