At the turn of the year, a camera trap in the border area between Macedonia and Albania took a picture of a Balkan lynx. This photo was the first direct evidence that the endangered subspecies of the Eurasian lynx still exists.
Both fotos: Balkan-Lynx, photographed by camera trap
© MES
Camera traps are activated via infrared barriers and help to monitor endangered species. Our partners of the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES) have used this tool for the first time. Therefore, they were instructed by lynx experts of the Coordinated research projects for the conservation and management of carnivores in Switzerland (KORA). However, the recent evidence for the existence does not change anything about the extremely critical situation of the Balkan lynx. It is assumed that at the moment, there are less than 100 animals.
To protect this fascinating species effectively, scientist are trying to get more data about the ecology, the spreading and the population of the Balkan lynx. They regularly search for tracks, and between February and April 2008, camera traps in the Mavrovo National Park are to take more pictures of the rare wild cat species and its prey. To prevent the Balkan lynx from extinction, EuroNatur stands up for more protected areas as well as corridors between those areas which already exist.
...more about the Balkan Lynx
...more about the Balkan Lynx project