Albania
#NatureLynxUs: Awareness campaign on the streets of Tirana
Since 27 September 2024, a mural dedicated to the endangered Balkan lynx has been part of Tirana's urban landscape. Painted on Vasil Shanto Primary School, one of the city's busiest intersections, the #NatureLynxUs mural combines art, conservation and community engagement to raise awareness of this critically endangered species.
© PPNEA
A mural with a mission
The mural, created by artist Franko Dine, depicts the Balkan lynx with the slogan "Nature Lynx Us". The pun emphasises the connection between man and nature and the need for conservation. The project started at the beginning of the school year, when students and staff attended a session on the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme (BLRP).
The mural is part of a wider campaign to raise awareness of the Balkan lynx, a species with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the south-western Balkans. Key threats include illegal hunting, habitat destruction, infrastructure development and forest fires. Inspired by the results of the camera traps in the Polis-Valamara region, the campaign plans to extend to other towns in Albania, such as Elbasan, Puka and Pogradec, where lynx populations are also found.
Art meets action
The mural highlights the challenges facing the Balkan lynx and promotes conservation efforts. By bringing awareness to urban spaces, the #NatureLynxUs campaign, led by BLRP partner organisation PPNEA, connects wildlife conservation to everyday life. As the campaign grows, it encourages communities to actively protect the Balkan lynx through art, education and conservation initiatives, emphasising the shared responsibility to prevent its extinction.
