A Charly rarely comes alone

Tierwelt Herberstein is launching a new reintroduction program. Through the European Endangered Species Program (EEP), the Styrian State Zoo is taking in a young pair of Carpathian lynxes. With the arrival today of “Charly the Lynx,” the foundation has been laid for the Carpathian Lynx Project. To mark the occasion, Karlheinz “Charly” Kornhäusl was awarded honorary godparenthood of Charly the lynx. In his speech, State Councilor Kornhäusl expressed his delight at the choice of the animal: “The lynx is known as a ‘power animal in mythology,’ associated with adjectives such as powerful, clever, and persistent—qualities that are also very helpful in politics. I congratulate the decision-makers in Herberstein on this project.”

The kitten was born on June 1, 2024, at the Nuremberg Zoo and moved to the East Styrian Zoo last Friday. “The male cub spent his first few days behind the scenes getting acclimated and was regularly monitored by the zookeepers to prepare him as best as possible for his new environment,” explains the zoological director, veterinarian Dr. Reinhard Pichler. Currently, the male leopard is still alone in the enclosure; plans are underway to bring a female from the Weißwasser Wildlife Park in the near future.

Lynx breeding has been a tradition in Herberstein for decades. “The goal of socialization is successful breeding, with the offspring potentially being released into the wild if they are suitable. Areas in Germany that are well-suited as lynx habitat (the Harz Mountains, the Western Ore Mountains, or the Black Forest) are designated as release sites. The aim is to specifically support existing lynx populations through targeted releases and to introduce greater genetic diversity into the populations,” explains Karin Winkler from the management team.

The overarching goal will be to connect the individual ranges—which are currently still largely isolated from one another—stretching from the Carpathians through the Dinaric Alps to the Western Alps.  The reintroduction will be carried out in collaboration with the Linking Lynx project. That is where everything comes together: from improving the health of the populations and monitoring genetic diversity to determining where the lynx for this program will come from. Funding is also part of the program.

For more information about the project, visit www.linking-lynx.org

Herberstein Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; visitors may remain in the park until 5 p.m.

For further information, please contact:

Karin Winkler, Authorized Representative – Executive Management

0664 8865 4094

Photographer: Harry Schiffer