Drilling birth near Luchsen in the Schönbrunn Tiergarten - a glimmer of hope!

Drilling birth near Luchsen in the Schönbrunn Tiergarten - a glimmer of hope!

In the Schönbrunn zoo in Vienna, there is currently a special reason to be happy: In mid -May, the Luchs couple gave birth to three healthy young animals. These triplets weighed about 300 grams at their birth, were blind and dependent on their mother's care. As meinzirk.at now spend their first weeks of life in a protective hut and are now curious in Forest enclosure. Tiergart director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck emphasizes the lively behavior of the triplets that are obviously having fun exploring their new surroundings.

This birth not only represents a pleasant moment for the zoo, but is also a significant contribution to the European conservation breeding program (EEP), which is committed to protecting and maintaining endangered species. The lynx couple was newly put together last year: the female originally came from Riga while the previous female moved to Gdańsk. According to estimates, only about 35 Eurasian lynxes are still living in Austria. Their inventory is at risk.

challenges for the lynx

The endangerment of the Eurasian lynx has several causes. Since the extermination in the 17th century in Germany and the dramatic decline in its distribution in Europe in the middle of the 20th century, intensive protective measures and resettlement programs have become essential. Man is not only a food competitor, but also a direct enemy, since hunting, traffic and illegal kills further endanger the lynx. A comprehensive information is necessary to remove misunderstandings and prejudices about the shy animals. The lynxes are real loners, need calm, extensive forest areas and a sufficient food supply to thrive.

The Situation for the Balkans, a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx, is particularly critical, of which there are only less than 50 copies in the mountain forests of the southern Balkans. The organization Euronatur is intensively committed to the protection of these types of lynx and cooperates with partner organizations in Switzerland and Southeast Europe in order to promote valuable knowledge of lynxes and to secure their habitats.

hope for the future

Although the framework conditions for the wolves and lynxes are challenging, there is hope. The Federal Association of Bund in Germany has already initiated successful resettlement projects that also bear fruits in the Palatinate. In the Palatinate Forest/North Vosges biosphere reserve, there is already a survival -capable lynx population on the way. All of these efforts are important in order to attribute the lynx to their habitat in the long term and ensure that they can not only survive but also thrive.

The birth in the Schönbrunn zoo is a wonderful example of how important contributions to the species are made. The hope remains that such successes can also be achieved in the wild and the Eurasian lynx will no longer be considered endangered in the future.