The first national plan to protect the Eurasian lynx, made public on April 15, aims to “restore the species to a good state of conservation”. These animals had disappeared from French soil at the beginning of the 20th century before being reintroduced there.
The objective of this national plan, which covers the period 2022-2026, aims to better protect the largest wild cat present in Europe because it remains threatened with extinction in France, where there are around 150 individuals. “The situation of its population remains worrying and contrasted depending on the massifs” where it is present, the Jura and the Alps and in very low numbers in the Vosges, underlines the Minister for Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili in the introduction to this document of nearly 200 pages.
Moreover, scientific expertise will be put in place during the first year of the plan to “collectively base future actions on recognized and shared scientific bases”, said Barbara Pompili.
poaching victims
In the Vosges massif, however, where the species is present in very small numbers and is in critical danger of extinction, this plan does not exclude “population reinforcements” by carrying out a consultation so that such operations are crowned with hit. Indeed, previous lynx reintroductions have not worked.
And in the event of poaching, the scientific council will have to “clarify a possible decision as to the replacement of dead individuals”. On the other hand, it is not planned to kill a quota of lynx, as is the case for the wolf.
Finally, to ensure the genetic diversity and the survival of the species, the Férus association and the Athénas Center, which specializes in saving the lynx, are calling for the reintroduction of these felines, but hunters and breeders are opposed to this, preferring that the animal “extends naturally”.