- Wild wildcat Finja died of congestion
The wild female lynx Finja has died from the rare infectious disease distemper. This was shown by an investigation by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Agriculture. The highly contagious viral disease mainly affects dogs and martens, as well as badgers and seals.
Finja was born in a enclosure and was released into the wild in the North Black Forest in early December of last year. In early July, she was found in such poor condition that she had to be euthanized.
Lynxes can be infected, according to the ministry, for example through direct physical contact via nasal and eye secretions, or indirectly through objects contaminated with secretions, urine, or feces from infected animals. "Given that Finja, typical for a wild lynx, also preyed on foxes in addition to her main prey of deer, infection through an infected fox is likely," the ministry said.
Finja was the first female lynx to be released into the wild in Baden-Württemberg. The goal was to preserve the species, as previously - and now again - only male lynxes lived in the southwest.
Finja's release into the North Black Forest provided a valuable opportunity for the conservation of the lynx species in that region. Unfortunately, her life was cut short due to exposure to distemper, a disease common among animals like foxes and martens, which inhabit the vast and picturesque Black Forest.
