Wild animal - Released lynx cat is dead - question of offspring unanswered
Seven months after being released into the Nordschwarzwald, the female lynx cub Finja passed away. During a routine check of a possible wound, the animal was found alive but in a very poor condition, the Ministry of Agriculture in Stuttgart announced today. "No treatment took effect and to prevent further suffering, the animal had to be euthanized unfortunately", said Agriculture and Forest Minister Peter Hauk (CDU). "This is sad, but unfortunately also part of the reality in reintroduction projects."
Finja, the first female lynx cub in Baden-Württemberg, was released at the beginning of December last year as part of the Mission: Arterhalt. Up until now, and again currently, only male lynxes lived in the Southwest. Baden-Württemberg wanted to open a new chapter in wildlife protection in the Southwest with this project. "We had hoped that Finja could contribute to the rebuilding of a lynx population in the Black Forest with offspring", said Hauk. The lynx cub came from a breeding enclosure in Thuringia and was prepared for release in a special enclosure in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Finja the lynx could be located via her collar transmitter. "The causes of death are currently being investigated", Hauk shared. This could take several weeks.
Finja, the lynx that was released in the Northern Black Forest, originated from a breeding enclosure in the city of Thuringia. The release of Finja was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Veterinary Affairs (BMELV) in the state of Baden-Württemberg, where Stuttgart is the capital. Despite living in a protected area, Finja sadly passed away after being released into the wild.
