For the first time, systematic lynx monitoring with camera traps was conducted in Slovenian Dinaric mountains. Monitoring lasted from August 2018 to April 2019 in the scope of three different projects. Collaboration of hunters was essential for a successful implementation of the monitoring; together with 63 hunters from 35 hunting grounds we set up 191 camera traps! The cameras recorded lynx at 34 locations in 14 hunting grounds. They also recorded several other animal species living in the Dinaric forests.
Lynx monitoring area in Slovenia in the years 2018/2019. Blue dots are camera traps locations, red dots are locations with lynx photos, green area is the lynx monitoring area.
Example of other animal species, that were recorded on camera traps (red deer, brown bear, wild cat, grey wolf). Photo: LIFE Lynx
We used the recordings of lynx to identify individual lynx by comparing their unique coat patterns. We could identify 17 adult lynx while 4 of them were females with juveniles. The data obtained with camera traps will also be used for estimating lynx territory sizes and for better planning of other project activities, especially for monitoring the successfulnes of lynx reintroduction.
Lynx coat pattern identification. Photo: LIFE Lynx