Monitoring_Lynx-lynx-carpathicus

________________________________________________________________________________________SummaryThis brochure summarises the findings of theproject Living with Carpathian Spirits. It alsoincludes several presentations given by colleaguesat the project’s closing seminar held at theTechnical University in Zvolen on 11.2.2015.The Carpathians were the source for therenewal of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) populations incentral Europe. Live-capture of lynx for restitutionprogrammes took place in Slovakia in the 1970sand 1980s. On the basis of monitoring methodsapplied in Switzerland by the organization KORA ithas been determined that some of thesepopulations are suffering from genetic problems asa result of inbreeding. A possible solution could befurther augmentation of these populations withlynx from Slovakia. A precondition of providinganimals from the source population is, however,sufficient knowledge of its current status.The project Living with Carpathian Spirits aroseas a pilot study to adapt systematic monitoringfrom Switzerland to conditions in the SlovakCarpathians. The project was implemented fromMay 2013 to February 2015 by the Slovak WildlifeSociety (SWS) with partners KORA and Bojnice Zoo.The Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme funded90% of eligible costs, with additional financesprovided by Die Karl Mayer Stiftung, The Wolvesand Humans Foundation and SWS’s own sources.Fieldwork based on camera trapping, snowtracking and DNA sampling was conducted in tworeference areas. A total of 843 images of lynx wereobtained during the project. In the Štiavnica Mts. atotal of 7 independent lynx were “captured”(photographed) during intensive deterministicmonitoring in winter 2013/2014. In Veľká Fatra, 9independent lynx were captured in winter2013/2014. Three of these were also captured thefollowing winter, 2014/2015, along with 4 “new”individuals. Results of genetic analysis showed nosignificant inbreeding in the population.During the project an education programmewas implemented for the lay public including 20different events with a total of 12 500 participants.A teachers’ manual, mobile exhibition andinformation panels were prepared. In addition, weorganized 8 training events for volunteers andstudents, within which information about theproject and practical demonstrations of monitoringmethods were provided.In cooperation with our Swiss partner KORA aprogramme of professional development wasprepared. Methods and results of lynx researchwere presented at the project opening and closingseminars. There was also a workshop for expertswith practical training and demonstrations ofnecropsies, data and sample collection aimed atunifying working procedures in Slovakia andSwitzerland.The results of the project confirm that themethodology for research and monitoring Eurasianlynx developed in Switzerland represents apertinent approach to estimating populationparameters in the Carpathians. We thereforerecommend the implementation of a similarsystem in Slovakia. Several reference areas shouldbe selected, within which intensive monitoringwould be conducted with the help of camera trapsand capture - recapture analysis at intervals of 1–3years with the aim of reliably estimating density,abundance and also trend. Subsequently it will bepossible to extrapolate to the whole range withlynx occurrence and to estimate comprehensivelythe current status of the Eurasian lynx populationin the Slovak Carpathians.The importance of further research ishighlighted by the relatively low estimates ofdensity in both study areas. The values obtained sofar for independent i.e. adult individuals representan unfavourable conservation status of the lynxpopulation according to the Manual for aProgramme of Care of Natura 2000 Sites:________________________________________________________________________________________Monitoring Lynx lynx carpathicus, Rigg & Kubala (2015) 6