Monitoring prey availability for the Balkan lynx

This lynx primarily hunts small ungulates such as chamois and roe deer, but it also preys on brown hares, rodents and occasionally foxes. Its survival is closely linked to the presence of suitable prey and the quality of its habitat. 

In North Macedonia, chamois census on Mt. Galichica took place on 30 October. The mountain range hosts the eponymous national park, and represents an important lynx area in the southwestern part of North Macedonia, bordering Albania. The partner organisation MES joined the park rangers and members of the Mountain Rescue Service, conducting 3 transects across the area, covering parts which oversaw both the Ohrid and the Prespa side. We managed to count only 13 chamois individuals, which, according to the park rangers, is less than what they estimate.In addition to this, MES in collaboration with rangers conducted data on 11 November 2025 in Jasen Multipurpose Area in the northwestern part of the country. Surveying along five transects, a total of 231 chamois were recorded, including adults and younger individuals. The  area lies within the habitat of the Balkan lynx. 

In Kosovo, monitoring is taking place in three regions: Bjeshkët e Nemuna, the Gjeravica mountain area and the Kopaonik range. The surveys are still ongoing, but chamois have already been observed in all three regions, which are considered potential lynx habitats or areas where lynx presence has already been documented

In Albania, PPNEA carried out chamois monitoring in November 2025 together with the regional agencies of protected areas of Korça and Elbasan. Surveys were conducted in Prespa and Shebenik National Parks, both important transboundary areas for the Balkan lynx. Along the transects covered this year, no chamois were recorded in either park. Despite the lack of observations during the November survey, the species remains present in the region. Earlier this autumn, a local tour operator documented a group of 15 chamois in Shebenik National Park. PPNEA will continue monitoring in December 2025 in other key lynx areas, such as Munella Nature Park and the Polis–Valamara ecosystem. In addition, several cellular camera traps installed in the Albanian Alps continue to capture chamois regularly, including images taken during the season’s first snowfall.

Understanding the availability of prey is essential for the BLRP as it helps to interpret the lynx`s habitat use, and it provides a foundation for developing effective conservation measures.