Lynx making a comeback in Italian Alps

After a gap of nearly 100 years a Lynx (Lynx lynx) has appeared in Italian Alps. According to Italian authorities the Lynx has crossed over from Switzerland. Lynx were reintroduced in Switzerland in the 1970s after being wiped out in the early 20th Century. There are about 100 lynx in Switzerland, in two main areas, the north-western Alps, which includes Interlaken, and the Jura Mountains near Lake Geneva. There are an estimated 8,000 lynx throughout Europe. It is the third largest predator in Europe after the brown bear and the wolf. There are three other species of lynx. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), is close to extinction with only 100 left in the wild. The other two species are the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and the bobcat (Lynx rufus), which is native to North America.