Lynx offspring in Eichsfeld: How many young animals are really there?

Lynx offspring in Eichsfeld: How many young animals are really there?

In Eichsfeld there is again good news from the fascinating animal world: at the beginning of September, a female lynx and her cub were recorded northwest of Leinefelde by a wildlife camera. This recording brings hope for offspring among the wild lynxes in the region, as the environmental association BUND Thuringia informs. It could even be that the lynx has other young animals that are simply not visible in the camera's field of view. “Normally a female lynx gives birth to between two and four young,” explains a BUND spokesman. These observations are part of a long-term research series that has been carried out jointly by the University of Göttingen and BUND for seven years.

The positive development of the lynx population in the district is encouraging, as there are now several lynxes in the region. A female lynx with regular offspring has been spotted in the northern part of the district for several years. Another female has even settled in southern Eichsfeld, which was photographed with almost fully grown young animals last winter. There are also some migrating lynxes in the area and two male animals that are regularly detected.

The lynx in Germany

But the picture of the lynx in Germany is not as rosy as it seems at first glance. Lynxes are considered critically endangered and are on the Red List of Endangered Species. Overall, there are only three significant lynx populations in Germany. The largest of these populations extends from the Harz to the Weser and northern Hesse. Another is concentrated in eastern Bavaria, while the third emerged from a reintroduction project in the Palatinate Forest that started in 2016.

What is particularly remarkable is the expansion of the Harz lynx population into Eichsfeld. According to BUND, lynxes have been actively released into the wild in the Thuringian Forest since spring 2024 in order to connect isolated populations in the Harz and Bavarian Forests. So far, six lynx have been resettled in this region, which represents a positive outcome for the entire clone.

Community engagement

Information about the presence of lynx can be reported by the population to those responsible at BUND Thuringia or to lynx representatives. Such chance observations are extremely valuable for accurately recording the population and helping to better protect the habitat of these impressive predators.

The future of the lynx in Eichsfeld depends not only on the organizations that take care of its protection, but also on the citizens who can actively contribute to better understanding and promoting the population with their observations. It remains exciting to see how the lynx population in this region will continue to develop. You can find more information about the activities of the BUND and the distribution of lynx in Germany on the websites of Göttingen Tageblatt, Press portal and Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.