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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Albania
Albania’s first national monitoring programme for the Balkan lynx is currently underway, covering some of the country’s most important lynx and prey habitats. The one-year study spans 55 grid cells of 20x20 km² across approximately 22,000 km² and aims to strengthen understanding of the lynx distribution and habitat connectivity.
As part of the BLRP, a nationwide camera trap monitoring network is being established, with 150 cameras planned for deployment. Despite difficult weather conditions and challenging mountain terrain during winter and early spring 2025/2026, 85 cameras have already been installed, including cellular cameras that provide real-time information. Photos collected from northern and eastern Albania have already confirmed the presence of the Balkan lynx and several prey species. The work is being carried out by PPNEA together with local institutions and in coordination with partners from North Macedonia and Kosovo.
North Macedonia
A new female Balkan lynx was successfully GPS-collared in April 2026 in the Baba Sach Mountain area. Named Blagica after the Macedonian holiday Blagovec, the healthy female is estimated to be 4–5 years old and weighs 17 kg.
Before her release, veterinarians conducted health checks and collected biological samples as part of the monitoring process. Since being fitted with the collar, Blagica has been moving across the Baba Sach and Ilinska-Plakenska mountains — an area where lynx movements had never before been tracked using radiotelemetry. Her first confirmed prey was later identified, indicating that the animal remains in good condition. The monitoring is being carried out by the lynx team at the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES), together with local hunting partners and veterinary experts, contributing important insights into reproduction and population recovery of the critically endangered Balkan lynx.
Kosovo
In Kosovo, recent fieldwork focused on the National Park «Accursed Mountains» in the Peja and Istog areas, particularly in the northern part of the range. The activities aimed to improve monitoring efforts and identify important habitats and movement corridors for the Balkan lynx.
One of the main achievements of the recent field season was the successful identification of a new lynx individual. At the same time, the field teams faced several challenges, including camera theft and restricted access near the borders with Montenegro and Albania, where some areas still contain landmines despite representing potential wildlife corridors. In the coming months, monitoring efforts will continue in the extended Mokna National Park area, while additional surveys are planned in the Pashtrik and Koritnik regions along the Albanian border.
