Overview
- Environmental group BUND and the NRW-Stiftung are leading a multi-year effort that targets a first release in about five years, followed by additional staged releases.
- Zoo Wuppertal is breeding lynx for the project, with the male Viktor earmarked for reproduction and offspring to be conditioned in coordination enclosures and tracked after release.
- Authorities confirmed camera-trap photos of a lynx in the Sauerland on October 30 and November 3, 2025, though experts say long-term settlement in NRW is still unclear.
- Potential release areas under review include the Rothaargebirge, Senne and Eggegebirge, with road traffic highlighted as a major mortality risk for the species.
- Project advocates cite the lynx’s role in regulating deer and note that attacks on sheep are considered extremely rare compared with broader wolf conflicts.