05 April 2026
As part of the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP15), held in Brazil, the countries of the Balkan region took an important step towards protecting the Balkan lynx, one of the most endangered species in Europe, by presenting and adopting the Regional Strategy for the Conservation of this species.
The Strategy was developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) / Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme, as well as national authorities from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Greece and Bulgaria.
Governmental and non-governmental institutions from Kosovo were also active participants in this process, contributing actively within the framework of cross-border cooperation and the improvement of regional dialogue.
The adoption of this regional strategy lays the foundations for stronger regional cooperation, improved cross-border coordination, and the long-term and sustainable protection and conservation of the Balkan lynx as a critically endangered species.
The Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CMS COP15) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals brought together representatives of governments, scientists, environmental experts, and local communities to address the urgent conservation challenges faced by migratory species that cross international borders.
Under the theme “Connecting Nature to Support Life”, the conference highlighted the critical importance of ecological connectivity for the conservation of essential ecosystems, both for migratory species and for human well-being.
For more information: Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme