Rise and fall of a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) stepping-stone population in central Germany

Abstract

After having been extinct for approximately 200 years, the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is currently being reintroduced in several European countries. However, it still occurs in several local, isolated populations. Given the patchy distribution of its forest habitat within a human-dominated landscape, the formation of population stepping-stones, i.e., small lynx occurrences between source populations, has been suggested an important mechanism for the expansion of lynx in central Europe. We studied the population history of such a stepping-stone population, which emerged approximately 60 km southwest of a larger reintroduced population in central Germany. We also examined migrations of lynx between the source population and the stepping-stone. At the beginning of our study in autumn 2014, our study population consisted of a minimum number of six resident individuals of both sexes that successfully reproduced in the area. However, over the course of only a single year, this subpopulation declined to only a single resident male as a consequence of death and emigration. In the 4 years after this decline, the subpopulation did not recover due to the absence of female dispersal into the area. Our study illustrates the vulnerability of small, isolated populations to stochastic demographic events and suggests that constraints on female dispersal are a major reason for the slow expansion of lynx in central Europe. To promote the expansion of lynx, active population management will be required, involving the translocation of females to reinforce existing stepping-stone populations or to create new ones.

Multi-seasonal systematic camera-trapping reveals fluctuating densities and high turnover rates of Carpathian lynx on the western edge of its native range

“…Low individual persistence and low age of captured residents were reported during radio-tracking research in the Jura Mts. 72 and most recently in the Northern Hessian subpopulation in Germany 75 . A high individual turnover rate (up to 89%) in combination with low persistence was reported for other felids, e.g.…”

Eurasian lynx populations in Western Europe: What prospects for the next 50 years?

“…The model simulated only a few lynx movements from the Jura population to the Black Forest, which did not contribute much to population growth, and female established with a very low rate after 50 years. These results tend to show that the Black Forest population is unlikely to be soon recolonized by lynx, especially considering that observed individuals are only males (Drouet-Hoguet et al, 2021;Port et al, 2021). For instance, no female lynx has been observed until now dispersing from Jura to Black forest crossing the Rhine valley that separates the Black Forest from the Jura population, probably due to their risk-shy nature compared to males (Port et al, 2021).…”

Long-distance Eurasian lynx dispersal – a prospect for connecting native and reintroduced populations in Central Europe

“…Except for Northern Europe (Fennoscandia, Baltic states), where dispersal distances are generally longer (Samelius et al 2012;Bagrade et al 2016;Herrero et al 2020), there seem to be no published records about female dispersal longer than 100 km (see more details given in the supplementary material of the review of Bartoń et al (2019)). The reluctance of female lynx to disperse over longer distances, particularly in fragmented landscapes, thus reduces the species ability to colonise new areas (Port et al 2020).…”

“…The human-mediated translocation of animals between the populations and founding of new small or mediumsized populations in suitable areas in Central Europe, which may act as stepping-stone populations, is another option in reconnecting isolated lynx populations in different areas into one viable metapopulation. Moreover, as suggested by Port et al (2020), consideration should be given to the translocation of a few females into areas accessible by male dispersers, or regularly visited by them, as a starting point for the development of new steppingstone populations, as males will be attracted into the area and they will have tendency to stay there. However, reintroduction of lynx populations into new areas should be well-planned (selection of suitable founders with regard to their population origin and genetic status, habitat quality and landscape connectivity in the surroundings) and used very cautiously due to a risk associated with capture and release of animals, high mortality of lynx exploring new areas after release and the conflicts arising with the acceptance of lynx by local key stakeholders (Červený et al 2019), whose perception highly affects the success of all these conservation efforts.…”