Slovenian hunters have been supporting the recovery and conservation of the Eurasian lynx for 50 years. On 2 March 1973, hunters and foresters reintroduced the first lynx into the forests of Slovenia. The reintroduction of these large cats in Slovenia is still considered one of the most successful efforts in the world to return lynx to the wild, and determined and passionate hunters were the main drivers of this work. The experience, advice, and courage of the generation that took the fate of the lynx in Slovenia into their own hands served as encouragement, a model, and a guideline for developing and implementing the LIFE Lynx project, which began in 2017.

LIFE Lynx

The main goal of the LIFE Lynx project was and is to save the Dinaric and South-Eastern Alpine lynx population from extinction and to preserve it in the long term. Before the project began, the population was small and isolated; it urgently needed to be strengthened by introducing healthy animals from another population. The project is strengthening the Dinaric-SE Alpine population with lynx from a viable population in the Carpathians, while maintaining public support. The group collaborates with all EU countries that have a lynx population to develop and implement a systematic approach that ensures the long-term viability of the population. The project is a good example of joint efforts to conserve lynx in the long term; the project is being implemented by hunters, the Slovenian Hunting Association, foresters from the Slovenia Forest Service, and scientists from the University of Ljubljana. Hunters are key partners in monitoring the lynx population and firmly oppose their illegal killing. For example, last year the Slovenian Hunting Association organised three-day training sessions for police officers on preventing the illegal killing of wildlife and the successful prosecution of perpetrators.

Conference: international exchange of experience between hunters and researchers

Learning from various projects, exchanging knowledge, and expanding the network of relevant interest groups were the main objectives of the conference. By listening to experts from Austria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland, participants were able to familiarise themselves with lynx reintroduction projects in Europe. In total, FACE members from 10 countries participated in the conference, sharing their experiences. During and after the conference, there were discussions about monitoring, stakeholder involvement, and law enforcement. FACE representatives and researchers were already actively planning future meetings to further support stakeholder engagement, which will benefit lynx conservation and management in Europe.

Signing of a cooperation agreement on information exchange

With new plans for lynx translocation within the framework of the LIFE Lynx project, we can predict and hope that the lynx population will spread into Austria. To preserve this population in the long term, it is vital that there is regular cross-border exchange of information on the presence, movement, reproduction, and best practices regarding the lynx within the LIFE Lynx project. The President of the Styrian Hunting Association, the President of the Slovenian Hunting Association, and the Director of the Slovenia Forest Service signed a cooperation agreement. The signing of the document is a good example of institutional cooperation and the cross-border coordination of joint lynx conservation measures.