05 April 2018
05.04.2018 - With the proposal made by Albania, its listing was unanimously voted on by the signatory parties during the 37th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention, held in Strasbourg, France, from 5-8 December 2017.
After that meeting, a period of three months was required for any potential objections from the parties so that the list could become official. Now, three months later, since there were no objections from the parties, the Balkan Lynx has officially achieved this status.
The presence of this endangered species in Kosovo, specifically in the “Bjeshkët e Nemuna” National Park, has been confirmed both by the NGO ERA and by the Institute for Nature Conservation as early as 2015.
After the recognition of the viper as critically endangered by IUCN, listing it in Appendix II of the Bern Convention means that this subspecies already has stricter protection and conservation, as well as requiring greater commitment from the institutions responsible for the protection and conservation of the Balkan Viper population not only at the national level but also at the European level, and it encourages cross-border cooperation for its conservation. The Bern Convention is the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. This convention has not yet been ratified by the state of Kosovo because it is linked to membership in the United Nations. In this convention, species with endangered and vulnerable status, including migratory ones with endangered and vulnerable status, are given special attention and are listed in three Appendices:
Appendix I: Contains a list of 119 types of protected flora that cannot be picked, collected, cut, or uprooted intentionally, and their habitats must not be disturbed.
Appendix II: Contains a list of 580 types of strictly protected fauna, from mollusks to vultures, which cannot be captured, killed, exploited, or deliberately disturbed in any way, or whose habitats may not be affected.
Appendix III: Contains a list of fauna species that must be protected, but for which authorized hunting may be carried out.
Appendix IV: Contains the tools and methods prohibited for killing or capturing animals and birds.