In the middle of May, we received a mortality signal from the GPS collar of lynx Neža, the offspring of the translocated lynx Goru and the resident lynx Teja. The project partners from the Biotechnical Faculty immediately went to the last location they received, from the collar. In the area of the Struge na Dolenjskem Hunting Club, near a high-stand, they found a GPS-collar that had been visibly torn off by force. The incident was immediately reported to the Police, who at that point did not initiate an investigation, as based on the found collar there was no suspicion of a committed crime. Later,a colleague working on the project went to the scene with a trained dog, where she found a bloodstain and took a sample for testing. Genetic analysis confirmed that it is the blood of lynx Neža. The Police was informed again, and this time the procedure for persecution was initiated, as in this case there is a suspicion of a criminal act
Lynx Neža was wearing a GPS collar from February this year. Photo: Franc Kljun
The GPS collar of lynx Neža, visibly torn off by force. Photo: Jaka Črtalič
Bloodstain on the grass near where Neža’s collar was found. Photo: Urša Fležar
The case is now being inspected by a criminal investigator who was part of professional training for police officers regarding the illegal killing of wildlife as part of the LIFE Lynx project in Gotenica (Slovenia) in 2019. The Hunters Association of Slovenia is providing 100% support and cooperation to the Police and the criminal investigator who is investigating the case. According to the president of HAS mag. Lado Bradač “any member of the hunting organization who has been legally convicted for illegal killing of any wild animal will be permanently removed from the hunting organization“. The investigation of the case is still ongoing, but we hope that the story will have an epilogue, and that such events will not happen again in the future.