Distribution of the Lynx in the French Alps
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H)strh. (n.7.) 10 (I) (1998): 3-15 DISTRIBUTION OF THE LYNX IN THE FRENCH ALPS PHILIPPE STAHL AND JEAN-MICHEL VANDEL Offi'ce tiatroi~crlcle la chnsse, F-01 330 Bii-ieur, Fiance ABSTRACT - The European lynx disappeared from the French Alps around thc beginning of the 20th century. The recovery in France is due to thc re-introduction in Switzerland between 1971 and 1976. From 1974 to 1994. there were 70 records. The first records were recorded in Chablais. More regu- lar records wcrc around the Aravis mountains. Over 20 years. a southward expansion of about 200 km has been observed but no continuous distribution area has been shown by the survey. Observa- tions remained scattered, probably bccause of low observation effort in many areas. Different possi- bilitics for connections with the Jura populations seemed to exist in the French Alps. Bauges. Char- trcuse and even SaEve could have been reached by individuals originating fimn the Jura or from the northern Alps. If the presencc of the lynx south ol Grenoblc in the Vercors and in the Hautes Alpes dkpartement is conlirmed, cxpansion of the population ovcr the whole south-east of France would be possible. Key-woi.d~:Lyrs /ynx. status. distribution. monitoring, France, Alps INTROD~JCTION From 1979 to 1989. no standardised nation- al method was uscd to collect data on the The European lynx (Lynx Iyn.u) disappeared presence of the species. Some data were col- from the Alps around the beginning of the lected by C. Kenipf from different people up 20th century (Lavauden 1930, Schauenberg tp 1984, then by the Office national de la 1969, Mingozi ct al. 1988). Its recovery in chasse from 1985 onwards. Some other da- France is due to the reintroduction in ta were published (Erome 1982, Switzerland from 197 1 to 1976 in the Alps F.R.A.P.N.A undated). A preliminary syn- and in the Jura (Breitenmoser 1983, Breit- thesis of data collected between 1974 and enmoser and Baettig 1992. Breitenmoser et 1986 on the presence of the species in Ihc al. 1998). T.he first proof of presence of the Vosges and Jura Mountains was published lynx in France was registered in the Jura by Hcrrenschmidt and Lkger (1 987) but the forests in October 1974. In the Alps, the few data collected in the Alps remained un- presence of the lynx was suspected as early used. as 1975 (Kempf 1979), but the first From 1989 onwards. an original mcthodol- cofirmed records occurred much later, in ogy of data collection was sct up by the Of- January and February 1982 in the Haute fice national de la chasse at the request of Savoie dipui-temeiit. Some doubtful records the Ministry of Environment. A network of that cannot be related to the Swiss reintro- observers was created (i) to evaluate the ductions were collected in the Haute Savoie damage caused by lynx to domestic animals, dPpartemetit during the 1960s (Ariagno and (ii) to survey the distribution trend of 1976, Estbve 1982) and in the Queyras in the lynx. These lynx-specialised groups the mid 1970s (Mingozzi et al. 1988). The were set up in 1989 in the Jura Mountains. survival of an unnoticed indignous alpine In 1990 they were set up in the Alps di- population up to this period is improbable, partenienfs where the presence of the and these records will not be taken into ac- species had already been proven (Savoie, count in this report. Haute Savoie, Isbre). To the south, in the dC- 4 P. Stahl and J. M.Vandcl partements of Dr8me and Hautes Alpes, the tion of some individuals to prevent impor- personnel of the Office national de la chas- tant damage to livestock, to protect public se was on the alert to detect the coming of safety or to ensure the conservation of the lynx as soon as possible. At the beginning species in the wild. The national laws ap- of 1994, after the first signs of presence had plied are: been detected, lynx-specialised groups were Law no 76-629 of July 10, 1976 (article 3, also created in these dkpartements. This re- art. 4, and art. 32); decree no 77- 1295 of No- port contains an analysis of data collected vember 25, 1977; decree of April 17, 1981 between 1974 and 1994. adopting the list of protccted mammals; and the decree of July 22, 1993 which modifies the former decree. ORIGIN OF THE LYNX IN TIIE FRENCH International regulations on the subject are ALPS (i) the Washington Convention (CITES; ra- The presence of lynx in the French Alps tified in 1978 by France): The lynx is listed was due to the Swiss reintroduction. No in- in Appendix 11. Offenders may be subject to formation supports the hypothesis of clan- punishment under customs legislation or the destine reintroductions in France. A reintro- law for protection of nature. (ii) the Bern duction prqject was launched at the end of convention (Convention on the Conserva- the 1970s in the Vercors (Noblet 1979) but tion of European Wildlife and Natural Habi- did not became effective. Reintroductions tats; ratified by France in 1990): The lynx is were made in Switzerland in different parts listed in Appendix 111. (iii) the Directive of the Alps and the Jura. Some lynx disper- 92/43 of the Council of Europe of 21 May, 1992: The lynx is listed in Appendix I1 sal was observed in the Swiss Alps as well as in the Swiss Jura (Breitenmoser 1983, (species for which special conservation ar- Breitenmoser and Baettig 1992). The Jura eas are to be designated (“Natura 2000” net- population spread over the whole French work) and in Appendix IV (strictly protected Jura forest (Vandel et al., in prep.). In the species). French Alps, some overlapping areas and Specific measures are taken to reconcile exchange possibilities may exist between sheep-farming and lynx conservation. A the populations of Alpine and Jura origin. procedure for the evaluation of lynx dam- The areas which might be concerned by the age to domestic animals and for the pay- expansion of either population and the hy- ment of compensation to Farmers was set up pothetical colonisation routes will be pre- by the Ministry of Environment in the Jura Mts in 1989 and in the Alps in 1990. Lynx sented in the chapter Development of the population. damage appraisal: Damage assessment by an expert is required if the farmer wants to receive compensation. The expert is a sworn official (generally a warden from the L~GALSTA TUS Office national de la chasse) who has fol- Under the Protection de la nature law, de- lowed special courses on the biology of the struction, mutilation, capture, transport, lynx (see Monitoring). Lynx damage com- trade and utilisation of European lynx spe- pensation : For every domestic animal cimens are forbidden. Offenders are liable to acknowledged to have been killed or a fine of 60,000 French Francs (FE) and six wounded by a lynx, compensation is paid to months imprisonment. The Ministry of En- the farmer by the Fonds Franpis pour la vironment, after taking advice from the nature et l’eniironnement (French Fund for Conseil national dc la protwtion de la na- Nature and Environment). Agricultural or- ture, may authorise the capture or destruc- ganisations are consulted to set the scale of Distribution ($the lxnx in ihe Frencli Alps 5 compensation. When the expert has any thods (1974-1989). Origin of data: The data doubts about the responsibility of the lynx collected were (i) the records compiled by in an attack, less compensation is paid. If Kempf until 1984; (ii) data entered in the the farmer disagrees with the expert, the re- Office national de la chasse database col- port is examined by a committee of repre- lected between 1985 and 1989; and (iii) da- sentatives of the administration and farm- ta from the literature. Assessment of relia- ers. For sheep, compensation varies be- bility of the data: The reliability of the data tween 500 FF and 3500 FF per animal, de- collected before 1989 was difficult to assess. pending on age, sex and quality of the ani- All data were carefully examined by our- mal. For each attack, a contractual com- selves and the same criteria applied for the pensation depending on herd size is also period 1990-1994 were used to evaluate paid for disturbance (maximum of IS00 their reliability (see below). According to FF). Veterinary care for the injured animals these criteria, some data were rejected, oth- is repaid. Compensation paid to farmers in ers previously believed to be confirmed be- France has reached a maximum annual came questionable. They failed if they were amount of 600,000 FF. in the category of doubtful cases. Measures to protect herds: Several experi- (b) After establishment of the survey methods mental measures are proposed to farmers (1990- 1994). Origin of data: Since 1990, (watchdogs, fitting sheep with thick leather data gathered by the lynx-specialised collars). These measures may be partly boards have been centralised by the Office funded by the Fonu’s Fr-ungais pour la na- national de la chasse. The local administra- ture et 1’erzvii~~)Fzizenzent.However, in tion is responsible for the lynx-specialised sheepfolds surrounded by forest, the only boards. In each dkpartement, they bring to- effective method is to keep the sheep in a gether about 30 regional coordinators (Of- pen at night. Permits to remove lynx which fice national de la chasse agent, foresters, attack sheep may be delivered by the Min- hunters, naturalists). Regional coodinators istry of Environment in strictly controlled participate in a two-day course given by the situations in order to stop attacks in high- predator specialists of the Office national damage areas.