Study shows France's lynx at high risk of extinction within 30 years

The lynx, which disappeared in France in the early 20th century, was reintroduced in the 1970s, spreading through the Jura mountains. Morgane Bricard/ SOS Massif des Vosges

The Eurasian lynx is at risk of vanishing completely from France, according to a study released Monday that called for urgent measures to boost the population of isolated wild cats.

There are at most 150 adult lynx hidden in the mountains of northeastern France, cut off from healthier wild cat populations in Germany and Switzerland, according a genetic study published in the journal Frontiers in Conservation Science.