On 20 February, BIOPOLIS-CIBIO hosted the seminar ‘Successful recovery of Eurasian lynx population in the Dinaric Mountains and Southeastern Alps’ presented by Miha Krofel, a researcher from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. With the support of the LIFE LUPI LYNX project, the aim of this event was to share the experience and results of the LIFE LYNX project, implemented in south-eastern Europe between 2017 and 2024, and whose results showed an example of successful and inspiring population recovery in the field of large carnivore conservation, and which was awarded a prize under the European Union's LIFE Programme. The session was attended by around 100 people in person or online, reflecting the high importance and interest in the topic.

The seminar focused on the conservation programme implemented to prevent the extinction of the Dinaric population of Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), which has been suffering from high levels of inbreeding and a declining number of individuals, as well as its reintroduction to the south-eastern Alps region. Under LIFE LYNX, a total of 22 lynx were translocated from the Carpathians to Slovenia, Croatia and Italy, allowing for an extraordinary recovery of the breeding population in the Dinaric and Alpine region. The rapid re-establishment of the lynx's ecological role in ecosystems was also emphasised, particularly by controlling herbivore populations and providing trophic resources for scavenger species. Transparent communication and the active involvement of hunters and local communities were highlighted as key factors in the success of this project.

This initiative reinforced the importance of European cooperation, the sharing of experiences between projects funded by the LIFE Programme and the application of science-based approaches to achieve concrete results in the conservation of large carnivores in Europe's humanised landscapes.

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