Romanian lynx arrives in Slovenia

"The lynx population in Slovenia and Croatia is very low and isolated. Animals are mostly related to each other which is why they face extinction," said Slovenia's Life Lynx project team, whose goal is the preservation lynx population in the Dinaric Alps and south-eastern Alps.

Goru is the first of ten lynx to be brought to Slovenia. In February, the male weighing 23 kg got caught in a box trap in Romania's Putna Vrancea national park. He was quarantined while veterinarians made sure he was healthy and vaccinated him against rabies.

A team from the Ljubljana Zoo and the Slovenia Forest Service ensured safe transport from Romania.

"The lynx's trip went smoothly, and he is now settled in his temporary home in Loški Potok, where he will stay for approximately three weeks. During his quarantine in Slovenia, he will be looked after by local hunters from the Loški Potok hunting family, a veterinarian, and project team members," the Life Lynx team added.

They are asking locals to stay away from the enclosure to avoid causing Goru unnecessary stress, adding that the enclosure and its vicinity will be under video surveillance.

Lynx had already gone extinct in Slovenia but were reintroduced by hunters in 1973; all lynx currently living in Slovenia are the descendants of six Slovakian specimens brought over in the 1970.

According to the project team, there are currently between 15 and 20 of lynx in Slovenia.

The Life Lynx project is a collaboration of 11 organisations from five countries, including the Slovenia Forest Service.

The project plans to integrate ten lynx into the existing population; five in the Notranjska region and five in the Gorenjska region.