Wild cats such as the lynx, leopard, and lion have always captured the imagination of mankind and play an important ecological role in nature. However, many species remain poorly studied because they are animals that are rarely seen in the wild. So how do we study their lives in the wild? This is what Dr. Miha Krofel will talk about in his lecture at the Dina Centre and Krpan’s House on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at 6 pm. The lecture will be held in Slovenian language.

Dr. Miha Krofel is a Research Associate at the Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Ljubljana. He is also a visiting researcher at the German Institute IZW, a visiting lecturer at the University of Primorska and the University of Porto, and a large carnivore expert at the IUCN (Cat Specialist Group, Canid Specialist Group and Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe). His work focuses mainly on field research on carnivores in Europe, Asia and Africa.

The lecture will be combined with another event, a presentation of the LIFE Lynx initiative and the Austrian Gravgrav, The Gravel and backpacking community.

The Northern Dinarides are home to large carnivores, and the LIFE Lynx project has created the Lynx Walk, a themed hiking trail for nature lovers. The trail runs in the cross-border area of Slovenia and Croatia. It starts at Mašun in Slovenia, where there is an information and education center called Forest House Mašun and an educational trail about large carnivores, and from there it follows forest roads to the main entrance of the Risnjak National Park in Croatia, in Crni Lug. The existing Lynx Walk footpath will be upgraded for cyclists. The cycling route will start at the Dina Pivka Centre, continue through the area of the Pivka Intermittent Lakes to Mašun, and from there follow Lynx Walk.

The GravGrav community will be involved in the selection of the Lynx Cycle Route, its promotion and education on sustainable, animal and habitat-friendly cycling. Representatives of the Austrian group of enthusiastic cyclists will already be with us at the lecture of Dr. Miha Krofl on October 6, and after the lecture we will focus on the presentation of the initiative for a new cycling challenge, cycling from the Dina Centre to Crni Lug, as well as on a way of cycling through forests that does not disturb the animals and at the same time raises awareness about the importance of large carnivores for the conservation of our forests.

A day later, on 7 October, the Austrian cyclists, accompanied by our team, will cycle from Dina Center to Mašun, finding the best route for cyclists and friendliest to large carnivores. They will finish their cycling at the headquarters of Risnjak NP on the Croatian side.