Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany
Abstract To reinforce Eurasian lynx populations in central Europe, 20 lynx from Slovakia and Switzerland were translocated to the Palatinate Forest between 2016 and 2020. Using a systematic camera trapping array consisting of 80 camera trapping sites in a 1,000 km² study area located in the centre o...
Published in: | European Journal of Wildlife Research |
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ftsubgoettingen:oai:publications.goettingen-research-online.de:2/143655 2024-06-23T07:57:31+00:00 Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany Port, Markus Tröger, Carolin Hohmann, Ulf Port, Markus Tröger, Carolin Hohmann, Ulf 2024 https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/143655 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-024-01800-8 en eng https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/143655 doi:10.1007/s10344-024-01800-8 1800 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 info:eu-repo/semantics/article journal_article yes 2024 ftsubgoettingen https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-024-01800-8 2024-06-04T14:39:47Z Abstract To reinforce Eurasian lynx populations in central Europe, 20 lynx from Slovakia and Switzerland were translocated to the Palatinate Forest between 2016 and 2020. Using a systematic camera trapping array consisting of 80 camera trapping sites in a 1,000 km² study area located in the centre of the approximately 1,800 km² Palatinate Forest, we aim to describe the status of the population in the final stages of the reintroduction project in winter and spring 2019/20 and 2020/21. We also use our data to provide a first estimate of population density of the newly established population. With an estimate of 0.52 independent individuals per 100 km², population density in the Palatinate Forest was still significantly lower than the densities of well-established reintroduced populations. The number of independent individuals detected in the study area decreased from 15 individuals in 2019/20 to 11 individuals in 2020/21, thus significantly below the number of lynx translocated. The low abundance in the Palatinate Forest can be explained by the dispersal of several individuals to the Vosges (France), which, together with the Palatinate Forest, form a continuous area of suitable lynx habitat of approximately 8,000 km². Our results may thus reflect the status of a young population that can expand over a potentially large area. Nevertheless, in light of the low population density, we strongly recommend a synchronized and harmonized transboundary monitoring program to keep track of the development of this important Franco-German lynx population. In case population density remains low, supportive measures need to be considered. Article in Journal/Newspaper Lynx Lynx lynx lynx GRO.publications (Göttingen Research Online Publications - Göttingen University) European Journal of Wildlife Research 70 3 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
GRO.publications (Göttingen Research Online Publications - Göttingen University) |
op_collection_id |
ftsubgoettingen |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract To reinforce Eurasian lynx populations in central Europe, 20 lynx from Slovakia and Switzerland were translocated to the Palatinate Forest between 2016 and 2020. Using a systematic camera trapping array consisting of 80 camera trapping sites in a 1,000 km² study area located in the centre of the approximately 1,800 km² Palatinate Forest, we aim to describe the status of the population in the final stages of the reintroduction project in winter and spring 2019/20 and 2020/21. We also use our data to provide a first estimate of population density of the newly established population. With an estimate of 0.52 independent individuals per 100 km², population density in the Palatinate Forest was still significantly lower than the densities of well-established reintroduced populations. The number of independent individuals detected in the study area decreased from 15 individuals in 2019/20 to 11 individuals in 2020/21, thus significantly below the number of lynx translocated. The low abundance in the Palatinate Forest can be explained by the dispersal of several individuals to the Vosges (France), which, together with the Palatinate Forest, form a continuous area of suitable lynx habitat of approximately 8,000 km². Our results may thus reflect the status of a young population that can expand over a potentially large area. Nevertheless, in light of the low population density, we strongly recommend a synchronized and harmonized transboundary monitoring program to keep track of the development of this important Franco-German lynx population. In case population density remains low, supportive measures need to be considered. |
author2 |
Port, Markus Tröger, Carolin Hohmann, Ulf |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Port, Markus Tröger, Carolin Hohmann, Ulf |
spellingShingle |
Port, Markus Tröger, Carolin Hohmann, Ulf Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany |
author_facet |
Port, Markus Tröger, Carolin Hohmann, Ulf |
author_sort |
Port, Markus |
title |
Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany |
title_short |
Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany |
title_full |
Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany |
title_fullStr |
Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany |
title_full_unstemmed |
Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany |
title_sort |
status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (lynx lynx) population in the palatinate forest, south-west germany |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/143655 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-024-01800-8 |
genre |
Lynx Lynx lynx lynx |
genre_facet |
Lynx Lynx lynx lynx |
op_relation |
https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/143655 doi:10.1007/s10344-024-01800-8 1800 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-024-01800-8 |
container_title |
European Journal of Wildlife Research |
container_volume |
70 |
container_issue |
3 |
_version_ |
1802651192978833408 |