23 March 2015
23.03.2015 - The lynx was photographed by the environmental organization ERA Group through special cameras called Trap Cameras. Representatives of the ERA Group organization have documented the presence of this species in the territory of the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park with photographs taken by the trap cameras, and they have proposed that the area where the lynx was photographed be declared a strict protection zone.
Information about the presence of the lynx in Bjeshkët e Nemuna has existed since 1974, but there has been no documented confirmation with photographs. Kosovo is the third country to have documented the presence of the lynx in its territory through photographs.
The current distribution of the Balkan lynx is limited to the southwestern Balkans, mainly in the border areas between Macedonia and Albania, spreading north to Montenegro and Kosovo. They are estimated to be fewer than 100 individuals and represent the most endangered lynx species in the world.
This result comes as part of the activities of the project supported by Euronature and Kora, Protection and Conservation of Wild Nature in the Balkan territory, which since 2013 has also extended its activities to Kosovo through the organizations ERA Group and FINCH. The main goal of this project is the preservation of the lynx, its prey, and its habitat.
The Balkan lynx (Lynx lynx martinoi) is a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx). It is a wild carnivorous animal and belongs to the cat family (Felidae), with a body up to one meter long, soft, dense, brindle-colored fur, upright ears, and a short tail. The lynx in Kosovo has been a legally protected animal since 1973.