IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Trajce, A.; Hoxha, B. | |
| Camera-trapping activiities in Albania during winter 2010-2011 | |
| 2011 Full Book | |
The remaining lynx population in the southwestern Balkan Peninsula has been identified as the most endangered of all Eurasian lynx populations across the world. Estimates conclude that the total number of lynx remaining is less than 100 individuals, scattered mainly in Albania and Macedonia (von Arx et al. 2004). In addition to the critical status of the population there is lack of knowledge in regard to the distribution, abundance and ecology of the Balkan lynx; information that is of crucial importance for defining further conservation actions. The start of the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme and its continuation through the SCOPES Research Project "Status, ecology and land tenure system of the critically endangered Balkan lynx Lynx lynx martinoi in Macedonia and Albania" have the main aim to generate more information for the status and ecology of the Balkan lynx. The presence of Balkan lynx had so far been confirmed for Macedonia through camera-trap pictures in the Mavrovo National Park area (Melovski et al. 2009), the Jabllanica and Stogovo mountains (Stojanov et al. 2010) and in the Jasen Nature Reserve (Stojanov et al. 2011). In addition the lynx team in Macedonia has managed to capture the first alive Balkan lynx through the use of box-traps and fit it with a radio-collar, in order to get more information on the species feeding ecology and land tenure system. The individual - baptized Marko - was captured on March 2010 and it continues to provide information up to date through GPS-GSM collars (Melovski, Stojanov, et al. 2010). In Albania however, the field research conducted so far, had not yet demonstrated the existence of any remaining live lynx individuals in the wild. All the hard fact information collected so far was coming from dead individuals kept as trophies and exhibited mainly in roadside restaurants and caf‚s (Traj‡e et al. 2009). Prior camera trapping attempts in Albania conducted during 2008 and 2009 had not managed to prove the existence of lynx in the country. In this regard, the main activities conducted within the Balkan Lynx project in Albania for the winter 2010 - 2011 were concentrated on camera trapping in selected regions of the country, with the main goal to prove the existence of live lynx individuals remaining in the country. Moreover, the field study would generate valuable information on other wildlife species, including potential prey species for lynx as well as information on the presence and distribution of other carnivores. |
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