Hellabrunn Zoo adopts new approach to lynx care

In spring 2024, Hellabrunn Zoo welcomed the birth of lynx triplets, the first cubs to arrive at the zoo in more than eight years. While the three youngsters still live in Munich, dad Rems moved to Aalborg at the beginning of the year. The reason for this is due to medium-term changes in the zoo’s approach to keeping lynx.

"New findings on the genetics and distribution of the lynx subspecies in Europe have shown that the subspecies native to the Alpine region and the German low mountain ranges is the Carpathian lynx," said Dr Eric Diener, curator of lynx at Hellabrunn Zoo. The animal derives its name from the eponymous mountain range in Eastern Europe, which for a long time was the last refuge for this subspecies. Hellabrunn Zoo has provided a home for lynx for several decades. The subspecies currently residing at the zoo is the northern lynx, which is native to Great Britain, Scandinavia and the Baltic States.  

The conservation organisation Linking Lynx, a network of experts that monitors and manages the Carpathian lynx in its natural habitat, coordinates the release of lynx into the wild. These releases are carried out in accordance with natural distribution using Carpathian lynx born in wildlife parks or zoos.

"As a science-led zoo, we plan to have Carpathian lynx move into Hellabrunn in the medium term and support the release projects with their offspring. This will allow us to participate in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation programmes for lynx,” Diener added. A recent health check of the young trio revealed that, contrary to initial assumptions, all three lynx offspring are female. "This is actually not entirely unusual, as determining the sex of baby lynx is not easy, even for experienced veterinarians." The decision about when mum Mia and her cubs will leave the zoo and when the new subspecies will move to Munich will be coordinated between the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) for lynx and the curators.

"Hellabrunn makes a significant contribution to global species conservation. As the City of Munich, we support this effort by actively sharing responsibility for preserving biodiversity and raising public awareness," said Verena Dietl, mayor and chair of the supervisory board. Zoo director Rasem Baban added: "Modern zoos are now much more than places where the public can go to view a wide range of animals - they are key players in species conservation. With targeted breeding programmes and research projects, we play an important role in preserving endangered species." 

Apart from the European wildcat and a handful of surviving leopards in the Caucasus, the Eurasian or European lynx is the largest and only other wild cat native to Europe. The species is listed as Category 1 in the Red List of German Animals and Plants and is therefore considered regionally critically endangered.

By the 19th century, the Eurasian lynx was wiped out in many regions of Central Europe due to overhunting and habitat loss. Its ecological importance as a large predator that regulates the populations of deer and smaller carnivores such as foxes was recognised in late 20th century, leading to the launch of several reintroduction projects. Thanks to these conservation efforts, there are now around 200 lynx in Germany, mainly in the Bavarian Forest, Palatinate Forest and the Harz Mountains.