The areas of Gorenjska and northern Primorska connect the SE Alps and the Dinarides and are important in ensuring the connectivity of the Dinaric-SE Alpine lynx population. The planned translocations within the project to this area are especially important for long-term population conservation. As we consider cooperation with local residents to be a crucial part of this process, before the new lynx arrive in the enclosure, the founding meeting of the Local Consultative Groups of Gorenjska and Northern Primorska took place online on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.
Lynx enclosure in Gorenjska. Photo: Rok Černe, LIFE Lynx
The meeting was attended by 44 participants from both areas, including local inhabitants, mayors, representatives of municipal administrations, breeders, hunters, various associations, regional units of the Slovenian Forest Service and the regional Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia. The participants were addressed by the mayors of the municipalities where the enclosures for lynx are located and the director of the Triglav National Park (TNP). Both mayors supported cooperation with local inhabitants and the director of TNP also emphasized the slogan of the park For nature and people on the 40th anniversary the park is celebrating this year.
The President of the Hunting Association of Slovenia Lado Bradač emphasized that many hunting families make an important contribution to lynx monitoring and caring for the translocated animals. The Hunting Association of Slovenia as a LIFE lynx project partner also cooperates with the police in the field of detecting the illegal killing of wild animals, as the Hunting Association has zero tolerance for this.
The translocation of lynx to Gorenjska will take place in close cooperation with the Triglav National Park and the Nomenj – Gorjuše Hunting club, which have accepted the invitation to participate in the LIFE Lynx project with great joy and responsibility.
After the presentations of the project activities all the participants discussed their views on three lynx related topics; lynx in schools, lynx and touristic opportunities, and lynx and farming.