Veterinar, Vol. 63 No. 1, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/ISSN 0303-5409
Monitoring of lynx (Lynx lynx) reproduction in Croatia using camera traps
Dora Bakran
; PP Orahovica d.o.o.
Magda Sindičić
orcid.org/0000-0002-1391-3648
; Department of Hunting and Wildlife, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb
*
Silvia Blašković
; Department of Veterinary Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb
Ira Topličanec
; Department of Veterinary Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb
Tomislav Gomerčić
orcid.org/0000-0001-7232-9428
; Department of Veterinary Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb
Vedran Slijepčević
; Department of Hunting and Nature Protection, Karlovac University of Applied Sciences
Ivan Budinski
; Udruga BIOM
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is the largest species of European wild felid, which became extinct in the Dinaric
region in the early 19th century due to habitat and prey loss, as well as human maltreatment. After more than half a century, a new population was established by reintroducing six individuals from the Slovak Carpathians to Slovenia, from where lynx spread to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Consequently, inbreeding, reduced genetic diversity, and population decline occurred. To counteract this, between 2019 and 2024, an additional 18 individuals were translocated from the Carpathians to Croatia and Slovenia as part of the LIFE Lynx project. One of the key indicators of population status is reproductive success. This study aimed to monitor lynx reproduction in Croatia between May 1st, 2018, and April 31st, 2024, covering six reproductive seasons. Photos and videos were primarily collected using camera traps from the LIFE Lynx project, along with contributions to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb from other institutions and individuals. Reproduction was recorded in four counties — Ličko-senjska, Primorsko-goranska, Zadarska and Karlovačka — with an average of 22.3 cubs per reproductive season. Litter sizes ranged from one to three cubs, on average 1.63 cubs per litter, and cubs were observed throughout the year, except in May and June.
Keywords
Eurasian lynx; reproduction; Dinarics; cubs; camera traps
Hrčak ID:
331005
URI
Publication date:
20.5.2025.
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