The situation of the lynx (Lynx lynx) in Austria

Nine wild lynx were translocated from the Carpathian Mountains to Styria between 1977 and 1979 in order to reintroduce this species into the Austrian Alps. Field projects continued until 1982, when monitoring of the released animals ceased. After five years the lynx had spread as far as 120 km from the site of re-introduction, but observations were few and seldom confirmed. Only in the district of Carinthia, where lynx activity was strongest, did the hunters' association gather data by means of observation report forms. Lynx reports became scarce during the 1980s, and re-introduction seemed to have failed, when in 1989 a series of sheep kills by lynx in Carinthia re-activated the interest of the public in the lynx, and more observations were reported. The Carinthian Hunters' Association formed a lynx group to verify these reports. More intensive training of the menbers of the group since 1992 has revealed that much of the information collected was not valid proof of lynx presence. There is no established lynx population in the Austrian Alps at present. The most regular and reliable observations come from the original region of the releases and from southern Carinthia, where lynx immigrating from Slovenia may sustain the Austrian population.