Bestandsovervåking av gaupe i 2024

The Norwegian Environment Agency and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency have developed joint Scandinavian guidelines and instructions for the monitoring of lynx, which have been in use since the winter of 2013/2014. Monitoring of the lynx population size and population trends in Scandinavia is primarily conducted through a survey of family groups (adult female lynx with dependent kittens). The number of family groups is estimated every year based on confirmed observations of family groups (tracks in snow, sightings, pictures or dead kittens). The monitoring is largely based on local participation. Observations such as snow tracks are often found by locals who in turn report these to the State Nature Inspectorate (SNO) in Norway and the county administrative boards in Sweden, which are responsible for the follow-up and confirmation of observations in the field. The number of family groups is estimated using a set of distance rules derived from radio-telemetry data on home range size and movement rates collected from lynx in Scandinavia, or by distinguishing different family groups in the field. During the monitoring season 2023/2024, 296 family groups of lynx were found in Scandinavia. This is a decrease of 18 family groups compared to 2022/2023. 78 family groups were registered in Norway and 218 family groups were registered in Sweden. Based on these numbers the Norwegian population is estimated to about 462 lynx (95 % CI = 383–540), whereas 218 family groups in Sweden correspond to a population of about 1 276 lynx (95 % CI = 1 076–1 477). The 296 family groups in Scandinavia thus correspond to a population of about 1 738 lynx (95 % CI = 1 459–2 017).