The northern Dinaric Mountains are the natural habitat of the lynx and other large carnivores. To present this environment to the public from the lynx’s perspective, the LIFE Lynx project created the Lynx Walk. This thematic hiking route for mountaineers and nature lovers runs through the Dinaric Mountains between Slovenia and Croatia. It starts at Mašun in Slovenia, where the information and education center Forest House Mašun and the educational trail about large carnivores are located, and from there it continues to the entrance of the Risnjak National Park at Crni Lug in Croatia.
LIFE Lynx project has now teamed up with European cycling community GravGrav and clothing company I-RIS.cc to extend the existing Lynx Walk with a cycling trail that will also run through the Dinaric forest in the same area. GravGrav will be involved in the selection of the route for the Lynx Trail Cycling Route, its promotion and education about sustainable, animal and habitat-friendly cycling. To do that, a team of enthusiastic cyclists from different European countries will come to Slovenia in early October to cycle along the routes of the Lynx Walk and find the best route for cyclists to be able to explore the Dinaric Mountains in the future without disturbing the natural environment and its wildlife, but instead learning on the importance of large carnivores and how to protect them.
Representatives of Gravgrav will arrive in Slovenia on October 6, when they will attend a lecture by Dr. Miha Krofel on big cat research in Europe, Africa and Asia at the Dina Centre in Pivka at 6 pm. You are invited to join them.
Ride and rewild with I-RIS.cc
Together with Iris Slappendel from I-RIS.cc and artist Chiara Terraneo, Gravgrav designed a unisex loose fit jersey with an illustration showing lynx. Which you can buy here. It is flashy and colorful. It is a bold message. If you buy this jersey, you are carrying a message. You are engaging in protecting wildlife. You show that you care.
Ride and rewild is the slogan we go after and isn’t it funny that “Ris” in Slovenian means Lynx? Cannot be a coincidence.
Here you can read an interview with our team member Vedran Slijepčević from Karlovac University, on how yclists can actively protect wildlife.