Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme

Protect the Balkan Lynx

The Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme (BLRP) aims to restore a viable Balkan lynx population by addressing key threats. Through transboundary collaboration, research, monitoring, community engagement, policy advocacy and communication, the programme is working to improve conservation strategies, strengthen legal protection, and establish a sustainable habitat network for the species​​.

© MES© MES

© MES

The Balkan Lynx

The Balkan lynx (Lynx lynx balcanicus) is one of the rarest wild cats in Europe, with fewer than 50 individuals remaining. Found in the south-western Balkans, this critically endangered subspecies faces serious threats from habitat loss, poaching and a declining prey base. Learn more about their distribution, habitat, threats, behaviour and ecology.

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The Recovery Programme

The Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme is a joint collaboration of project partners working to protect the Balkan lynx. Learn more about its goals, approach, and partners.

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News Articles

News From Our Projects
© PPNEA© PPNEA

© PPNEA

07.10.2026

Known Individual Documented in a New Area

A Balkan lynx previously recorded in the Polis–Valamarë area has now been documented between Korçë and Skrapar in southern Albania, making it the southernmost recorded sighting of a Balkan lynx in Albania and the Balkans to date. The new record expands our knowledge of this individual’s movements and provides an important clue for finding possible ecological connections between habitats.
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© PPNEA© PPNEA

© PPNEA

17.06.2026
International Lynx Day 2026
Every year on 11 June, International Lynx Day is celebrated worldwide. On this occasion, organisations, partners and local communities carry out a variety of activities to raise awareness about lynx conservation and highlight the importance of protecting species such as the Balkan lynx across the range countries. In Kosovo, a new children's book entitled «Guardian of Nature» was launched, while in North Macedonia activities focused on engaging the public through social media. In Albania, a series of environmental events was organised to introduce young people to the species, its threats and its importance for biodiversity.
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© ERA © ERA

© ERA

19.05.2026

Field Work Updates from Across the Balkan Lynx Range

Field work is a key pillar of the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme (BLRP). To support the programme’s goal of establishing reliable monitoring and conducting targeted research on the ecology and needs of the Balkan lynx, our partners across Albania, Republic of North Macedonia and Kosovo continue their efforts in field work. Over the past months, a new camera trap monitoring network has been established in Albania, a lynx named Blagica has been fitted with a GPS collar in North Macedonia, and a previously unknown lynx individual has been detected in a national park in Kosovo.
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© PPNEA© PPNEA

© PPNEA

19.04.2026
Second Balkan Lynx Mural Unveiled in Albania
The Albanian City Puka now has a new symbol celebrating nature and Albania’s rich biodiversity. Created on 19th of April 2026, the Balkan Lynx mural is the second mural in Albania dedicated to this rare and critically endangered species, following the first mural painted in 2024 at the “Vasil Shanto” school in Tirana.
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