- Luchs Anton resides in the Western Alps region
The population of Saxon lynxes has expanded by one more member, with the introduction of a male named Anton. This recent addition concludes the reintroduction initiative for the endangered species in this region for the current year. Currently, residing in the western Erzgebirge, close to the German-Czech border, we find two females and three male lynxes. The plan is to introduce five to six additional animals the following year, aiming to maintain the population's stability. Saxony primarily uses wild-captured and zoo-bred animals for this purpose, with the goal of having 20 lynxes established by 2027.
Environment Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens) gave this new "Saxon" lynx the name Anton. Günther personally released him from his transport crate into the wilderness. At the age of one and a half years, Anton weighed 17.3 kilograms after being attached with a GPS collar in the wildcat village of Hütscheroda, Thuringia. For numerous weeks prior to his release, he was prepared with minimal interaction with humans and a diet composed solely of wild meat. As he bolted into freedom, he was briefly seen before vanishing into the dense foliage.
Anton's release into the wilderness further enhances the diversity of the region's wildlife. With Anton joining the existing lynx population, the eradication of the Saxon lynx from this region seems increasingly unlikely.
