The fauna of the national parks comprises the typical spectrum of species found in central-European mountain forests. It is home to red deer, roe deer, wild boars, foxes, badgers, martens, otters, fifty types of forest birds (including rare ones such as capercailzie, hazel grouses, black woodpeckers, white-backed woodpeckers, three-toed woodpeckers, Tengmalm’s owls, pygmy owls, and stock doves) as well as numerous types of insects (including some rare ones) – in particular, beetles living on deadwood.

Of the three large predator species once native to the Bavarian Forest and to Šumava, only lynxes have ‘returned’ naturally. There are still no bears or wolves. Other animals that have ‘returned’ include peregrine falcons and black storks.

The return of lynxes is of particular interest to us since it concerns an area that has been devoid of predators for quite some time. We are interested in the behaviour the lynxes exhibit in the national parks. We are also interested in the reaction of the lynxes’ main prey – roe deer and red deer – and in what kind of impact the lynxes will have on these animals.