On Sunday, February 13, 2022 in the morning, biologists from the Biotechnical Faculty received an alarm about a triggered trap in the area of Mala Gora near Ribnica. With the help of a GSM camera trap, they saw that they captured a juvenile lynx. Later on, they discovered that it is a young female l, approximately 9 months old and weighing 12 kg. Most probably, it is one of the three last-years cubs of the resident female lynx Teja and translocated lynx Goru. The captured female was thoroughly examined by a veterinarian from ZOO Ljubljana, fitted with a GPS/GSM collar, and released into the forest. The team named her Valentina, since it was Valentine ’s Day the next day.
Female lynx Valentina, hiding in the forest undergrowth. Photo Jaka Črtalič
Valentina in a box-trap, moments after sedation. Photo: Jaka Črtalič
However, as luck would have it, the day was not over for the Biotechnical Faculty team, at 18:30, they received another trap-alarm and a photo of another trapped lynx. It was the second Teja’s last-year’s lynx cub, and Teja was also photographed in front of the trap. The second lynx cub was also a female, slightly larger in appearance, but surprisingly weighing a bit less than her “morning” sister. The process of catching, examining and fitting the telemetry collar of the second female lynx, named Neža, went smoothly and without complications. After about 55 min, the female woke up and was released into the forest.
Female lynx Neža during the sedation. Photo: Franc Kljun
Lynx Neža (in the trap) and her mother Teja. Photo: BF Biology department
Both, Valentina and Neža are still in the home area of their mother Teja. It will be very interesting to follow their journey towards independence in spring and summer. We hope that they both survive this difficult period and manage to establish their own territories in the area of other male lynxes.