130925-studie-wildlife-comeback-in-europe

3.12. Eurasian lynx
Lynx lynx
Summary
The Eurasian lynx experienced a contraction
in range during the 19 th and first half of the 20 th
century due to hunting pressure and deforestation,
but has since been subject to significant
conservation effort across most of its former
range. As a result populations have more than
quadrupled in abundance over the past 50 years,
an increase attributed to legal protection, reintroductions
and translocations and natural recolonisation.
The Eurasian lynx is, however, still under
threat, especially in its isolated populations which
are often fragmented and subject to continued
hunting.
Background
General description of the species
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is the largest
European felid and the furthest ranging species of
the Lynx genera [1] . It is a territorial species where
the female establishes a home range based on prey
and habitat availability and the males choose areas
in close proximity to females [2] . The lynx favours
musk deer and chamois as its prey, which, as a
solitary and largely nocturnal species, it hunts at
dusk and dawn [1] .
Distribution in Europe
The lynx first appeared during the late Pleistocene
in Europe [3] , where it was widely distributed in
the Black Sea region [4] . Eurasian lynx inhabited
the Iberian peninsula alongside the Iberian lynx
(Lynx pardinus) during the late glacial period, but
disappeared from the area by the Holocene [3] .
During the past 500 years, the species has been in
decline in Europe, likely due to deforestation and
hunting pressure on both the lynx and its prey
species. It survived in small, fragmented populations,
particularly in mountainous areas where
habitat was left largely intact, e.g. the Carpathians
and the Balkan Peninsula. Most other populations
faced extirpation, declining significantly by the
end of the 19 th century [4] . Presently, the species in
Europe, an estimated 8,000 individuals (excluding
Russia), survives in populations which remain
fragmented outside the strongholds [1] . More
recently, large increases of local populations have
been reported [2] .
Habitat preferences and general densities
The Eurasian lynx is widely distributed throughout
continental Europe in boreal, deciduous and
Mediterranean woodland areas. Optimal habitat
for lynx consists of large forests supporting
stable populations of small ungulates [1] . The
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