Harz National Park
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The Harz National Park is a nature reserve in Lower Saxony, Germany. It comprises large portions of the western Harz mountains, extending from Herzberg at the southern edge of the mountain range to Bad Harzburg on the northern slopes. The total area is 158 kmē.
The park was established in 1994, comprising parts of the districts of Goslar and Osterode. The elevation is between 230 m and 927 m (Bruchberg mountain near Altenau). 95 % of the area are covered with forest (mainly coniferous forests).
Rare animals of the Harz National Park include the dipper, the black stork, peregrine falcon and especially the lynx. The lynx became extinct in the Harz Mountains in the early 19th century, but in 1999 a project for resettling the lynx was established.
The protected areas of the eastern Harz in Saxony-Anhalt constitute a different national park, the Hochharz National Park.