Project name
Preventing the extinction of the Dinaric-SE Alpine lynx population through reinforcement and long-term conservation
Project duration:
1. July 2017. – 31. March 2024.
Total budget:
6.829.377 €
Sources of funding:
EU co-funding (Programme LIFE)
Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund
Office for NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia
Lead beneficiary:
Partners:
Udruga Biom, Croatia
Univerza v Ljubljani, Slovenia
Association for the Biological Diversity Conservation, Romania
Zavod Republike Slovenije za varstvo narave/ Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Slovenia
Veleučilište u Karlovcu (VUKA), Croatia
Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Croatia
Progetto Lince Italia, Italy
Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia
Hunters Association of Slovenia, Slovenia
Arma dei Carabinieri – Comando Unità Tutela Forestale, Ambientale e Agroalimentare, Italy
Web page: www.lifelynx.eu
Project summary
LIFE Lynx is an international project aimed at saving the small and endangered lynx population shared by Croatia and Slovenia from extinction. Its primary objective is to restore the population’s genetic diversity and to establish the foundations for its sustainable management, relying on international cooperation among numerous institutions, scientific data, and a multidisciplinary approach.
LIFE Lynx is an international project focused on rescuing an extremely small and threatened lynx population in the Dinaric Mountains. All lynx currently present in the Dinarides are closely related, which places them at high risk of extinction; the only viable solution is the introduction of “fresh genes.” The project involves partners from five European Union countries, and its key goals are the recovery of the population’s genetic diversity—achieved through the reintroduction of new individuals from Slovakia and Romania—and the establishment of a framework for sustainable population management.
At the beginning of the 20th century, due to excessive hunting, the lynx became extinct across much of Europe, including Croatia and neighboring countries. However, in 1973, hunters from Slovenia organized a reintroduction, releasing six lynx captured elsewhere into the Dinaric region.
The lynx population shared by Croatia and Slovenia is extremely small and endangered. All approximately 50 individuals living in these two countries are closely related, which puts the population at serious risk of extinction; introducing “fresh” genes is the only way to ensure its survival. The European Union has recognized the importance of this initiative and is providing substantial funding to enable the reintroduction of at least 14 new individuals from Romania and Slovakia into Slovenia and Croatia. In addition to the LIFE Programme, the project is largely co-funded by the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, while the Croatian component is co-funded by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund.
The project brings together partners from five European countries, and its successful implementation relies heavily on cooperation with hunting associations and public institutions responsible for managing protected areas, which play a crucial role in the day-to-day conservation and prosperity of the lynx in Croatia.
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