Ecologists call for Eurasian lynx reintroduction in Alt Pirineu

Six environmental organizations are calling on the government to revive and update the viability plan for reintroducing the Eurasian lynx to the Alt Pirineu Natural Park. The original study, announced in 2016 in the Vall d’Aran, was never implemented.

The signatory groups—including SEO/BirdLife, Ecologistes en Acció, and the Association of Friends of the Alt Pirineu Natural Park—argue that the lynx, which has been extinct in the Pyrenees for decades, could help restore ecological processes. Specifically, they suggest the lynx could regulate mesopredator populations, potentially benefiting vulnerable species like the capercaillie, which has seen an alarming population decline.

The organizations emphasize that any reintroduction must be based on rigorous scientific assessment and involve local community participation.