Tierisch Wild - Urlaub am Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald

The Lynx: VELVET PAWS AND TUFTET EARS

Very rare but all the more impressive: the sight of a lynx, which now wanders again through the snowy forests of the Bavarian-Bohemian border mountains.

The big cat with the flecked coat, distinctive tufted ears and the characteristic short tail has been extinct in our forests since the mid 19^th century. Since 1950 there have been occasional signs and sightings in the area. Since its reintroduction to the Bavarian Forest (1972-1974) and to the Bohemian Forest (1981-1987) the lynx is now starting to recover its lost territory on both sides of the border.

Although the lynx has a mainly positive image amongst the local population, its return has also brought conflict. The lynx needs large areas in which to move around and is often regarded as competition for hunters because of its preference for deer. Will this wonderful wild cat succeed in re-establishing a home in the forests of Bavaria and Bohemia?