I am not traveling 10,000 kilometers from Hong Kong to the Swiss Alps just to ski.
Europe is almost my least visited continent because of its low biodiversity. There are only a few European species that can make it to my bucket list, and that is a no-brainer. I have always wanted to find a lynx in the Alps.
The last confirmed sighting of the Eurasian lynx in Switzerland was around Simplon Pass in 1904. Since then, the cat has been exterminated in Switzerland for the next 70 years.
The conservation of the Eurasian lynx in the Swiss Alps has been a significant focus in recent decades. Once nearly locally extinct due to habitat loss and hunting, targeted conservation efforts have led to a resurgence of the population.
Initiatives include habitat restoration, the establishment of protected areas, and legal protections against hunting.
Additionally, translocation projects have been implemented to reintroduce lynx into areas where they had disappeared.
About 14 lynx were transferred from the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe to the Swiss Alps in the 1970s. It’s estimated there are now about 250 wild lynx in Switzerland and about 165 of them are in the Swiss Alps.
Collaborative efforts among conservation organizations, local communities, and government agencies have been crucial in raising awareness and promoting coexistence between lynx and human activities.
These measures have not only helped stabilize the lynx population but also contributed to the overall health of the alpine ecosystem.
