The reintroduction of the lynx in Thuringia

Peers from across Europe

Alongside Astrid Severin and Magda Michalikova, our Thematic Experts on ‘Greener Europe’, six excellent peers participated in the peer review:

• Correntin Rousseau, WWF Belgium (Belgium)
• Tilen Hvala, Hunters Association of Slovenia (Slovenia)
• Ira Topličanec, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb (Croatia)
• Mihai Pop, Institute for Wildlife and Mountain Resources, Miercurea Ciuc (Romania)
• Maria Diaz Vasquez, Castilla-La-Mancha (Spain) 
• Francisco Javier Herrera-Sánchez, Provincial Coordinator of Iberian lyxn reintroduction and conservation program (Spain)

Some Recommendations

Several recommendations and key outcomes were established as a result of the discussions and presentations of the peers.

• The lynx is not known: tell the story of the lynx and create transparency around the characteristics of the carnivore using all communication channels
• Prepare a long-term plan (regional reinforcement, monitoring and “cross-border” planning, agreeing roles and responsibilities, milestones and funding priorities, …)
• Involve stakeholders and local communities, in particular hunters and hunting organisations
• Build trust, a sense of belonging and pride to the project among stakeholders – share responsibilities
• Ecological connectivity is important (from large-scale to small-scale)
• Prepare for conflict and failure (develop protocols, training, damage compensation & repair, crisis communication, …)
• European collaboration – sharing tools and experiences, creating a European map of the lynx
• Ensure funding security by combining various funding sources to ensure continuous action (European, national, regional, private…)

The host’s policy challenges, and all the peer suggestions will be available shortly in the follow-up report.