This year, the European Commission approved the project LIFE Lynx, which will prevent the extinction of the largest European wild cat in the Dinaric and South-eastern Alpine regions. In the framework of the project, at least 14 lynxes from Slovakia and Romania will be relocated to Slovenia and Croatia, thus linking the Dinaric and Alpine populations of lynxes in Austria and Switzerland. On relocation, experts will also conduct research, such as genetic and ecological analyses, and prepare strategic documents that will contribute to long-term preservation of the lynx population.

The project LIFE Lynx will last from July 1, 2017 to March 31, 2024, and will be performed by consortium of 11 organizations from Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Slovakia and Romania. The leading partner of the project is the Slovenian Forest Service. The Slovenian partners in the project are the Hunters Association of Slovenia, the Biotechnical and Veterinary Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation.

The project’s budget is almost 7 million euros, of which the European Commission will contribute 60 % – a good 4 million euros. The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning contributes EUR 1,340,168 or 30% of the eligible costs of activities taking place in Slovenia.

More information on the project is available in the press release, prepared by LIFE Lynx project team.

+2

0