The Balkan lynx team of MES, with the help of several dedicated volunteers, carried out activities for capturing lynx in the Jablanica, Bistra and Stogovo Mts. in the period from 26–30 April 2012. The operation also took place in 2010 and 2011, as part of the project Status, ecology and land tenure system of the critically endangered Balkan lynx Lynx lynx martinoi in Macedonia and Albania. Much like in 2010 and 2011, the team’s aim was to capture lynx to which they can put a GPS/GSM collar and in that way monitor it using radio telemetry method. All this would result in liable data for the biology and ecology of the Balkan lynx.
There were 3 box traps in total set during the effort to capture lynx, one at each mountain. The team was in constant search for lynx prey by making transects and talking to the locals. In addition, special foot traps were used for this aim. During the research, the box traps were activated three times, but, unfortunately, not a single lynx was captured.
Activities using box traps took place simultaneously in the region of Jasen, as well as on the territory of the Dushegubica hunting ground, managed by PE “Macedonian Forests”, the subsidiary of Lopushnik-Kichevo, where the second Balkan lynx Riste was captured in March 2012. Field activities in this area are to continue in the following months as well.
