Return of the Lynx: Tracking a Comeback in the Carpathians

As we celebrate International Lynx Day on June 11, it’s the perfect time to shine a light on one of Europe’s most elusive and iconic predators—the Eurasian lynx. It is one of the large carnivore species we monitor in our pilot areas.

Strengthening Digital Tools for Wildlife and Forest Conservation: IT Workshop in Slovenia

As part of the LECA project, the Slovenia Forest Service organised a workshop on database management on 17-18 February 2025 in Bled. This event served as a forum for discussing how digital technologies can be more effectively leveraged to support the conservation of large carnivores, broader biodiversity, and forest ecosystems.

Tracking Wolves across Borders: How GPS Telemetry Helps us Understand their World

Deep in the forests of Central Europe, wolves roam vast landscapes, crossing borders, often unnoticed. How do they move? Where do they hunt? What challenges do they face in a world increasingly shaped by humans? Thanks to GPS telemetry, we are finding the answers.

A Step forward in Protecting the Eastern Carpathian Bears: Cooperation for a Sustainable Future

What challenges do bears pose in the Eastern Carpathians? And what solutions can ensure the safety and well-being of both bears and local communities? We brought together local governments, nature conservation, agricultural, and non-governmental organisations to discuss the issues and explore solutions. You can find the answers in our summary.

In Partnership with Law Enforcement: A Stronger Approach to Species Protection

Having the law enforcement on our side is essential to prevent poaching and protect wildlife. In last months, we have been actively working on strengthening cooperation between law enforcement and conservation groups in the fight against poaching and illegal activities that threaten wolves, lynxes, and brown bears.

Volunteers – Their vital role in large carnivore conservation

Our project partners have extensive experience in involving volunteers in large carnivore monitoring. It is not only fun but essential to effective data collection, monitoring and protecting of species. Let's look at how we engage volunteers, and who knows, maybe you join us soon! 😉

Protecting livestock – Do you know how it can be done? Video available now!

Do you know what is one of the most effective preventive measures to protect livestock and how to make it real? We want to raise awareness and support livestock keepers, so we produced a tutorial video about how to install an electric fence. Now, you can watch it too!

Together for lynx – Taking cooperation to the next level

Lynx is one of the key species at the heart of the LECA project, and we are committed to raising awareness about these incredible animals across Europe. The Together for Lynx documentary is a perfect example not only of an awareness-raising activity but also of a cross-project cooperation and synergy.

Engaging with the public – A weekend with large carnivores

Friends of nature and large carnivores gathered on 27-28 September 2024 in Répáshuta. WWF Hungary with its partners, the Municipality of Répáshuta and fellow-LECA partner, Bükk National Park Directorate organised the Carnivore Carnival. The main aim was to shed light on large carnivores and promote best practices of coexistence.

Wolf pups, welcome to the world!

We have exciting news - wolf pups were born in the Beskydy-Kysuce pilot area this year! Thanks to the intensive monitoring we have been able to confirm successful wolf reproduction in the area. Find out more about importance of camera traps in the article.

Education as the key pillar of conflict prevention and nature conservation

In cooperation with the Association of Students of Natural Sciences and the LIFE WILD WOLF project, we organised a 5-day training camp for students in Slovenia, in the area of Hrušice and Otlica.

Stakehoders gathering across boarders in the Tatra mountains

On September 30, over 50 participants gathered at the REWITA center in Kościelisko, including representatives from nature protection agencies, forestry, hunting associations, local authorities, academia, law enforcement, national parks, as well as nature enthusiasts, to discuss our project activities, share experiences, and engage in stakeholder platforms.

Visiting farmers in the Slovak Karst: How to coexist with large carnivores

On September 17-18, experts from science, education, consultation, and farming came together in Betliar, the small town in the heart of the Slovak Karst. This seminar focused on strategies for coexisting with wolves, lynxes, and bears, featuring successful case studies from Slovak farms and beyond.

Effective nature protection must integrate the voices of local communities

On September 6, 2024, the Tourist Information and Education Center of the Bieszczady National Park (Lutowiska) buzzed with energy as experts gathered for a pivotal meeting. The session focused on the delicate coexistence between local communities in the Polish Eastern Carpathians and their large predator neighbors: wolves, lynxes, and bears.

Discussion about lynx monitoring with young students at summer camp

Summer vacations don't stop us from being active in the LECA project! This time we've engaged with young researchers in Slovakia.

Electric fence and kuvasz dogs protecting herds at Crow well

Yet another herd is safer in Hungary thanks to the LECA project! WWF Hungary together with volunteers helped to construct an electric fence system in the outskirts of Dövény, Hungary.

Bulding strong transnational connections

In the LECA project, we’re all about building strong connections to make a real impact on biodiversity conservation. On 17-18 June 2024 we've been actively networking and we've presented our project activities at the 15th Meeting of the Carpathian Convention Working Group on Biodiversity (Vienna, Austria).

Annual meeting in Zakopane – Updates, planning, bears and enthusiasm

The LECA project partners met at the annual meeting in Zakopane (Poland), 13-15 May 2024. We used the potential of our in-person meeting at 100%! We not only admired the beautiful nature but also discussed the project status as well as collected samples in the field.

Second round of lively discussions, sharing experiences and inspiration, this time in the Slovakia-Hungary cross-border area

The LECA project partners WWF Hungary and WWF Slovakia successfully organised the pilot kick-off and stakeholder meeting in Parádfürdő, Hungary, on 18-19 April 2024. Lively discussions, interesting presentations as well as a farm visit - we experienced all this!

Hunters, livestock breeders, foresters and conservationists leading dialogue about wolves

The cross-border area of Beskydy and Kysuce mountains is one of the four regions where we pilot our activities. On 26 March 2024 we invited representatives of hunters, foresters, farmers, livestock breeders, and nature conservationists to a gathering where we introduced the project activities, shared experiences and established further ...

Wildlife Snapshot: Successful lynx photo shoot & Bear-proof containers installed

Activities in Polish part of the Bieszczady Mountains are on a roll! We have captured the elusive lynx on camera traps installed in the area. And that's not all! We've also bolstered bear-proof containers to curb conflicts between bears and humans, ensuring garbage doesn't become a temptation.

Precious racka sheep are safe behind electric fences

Our colleagues have installed the first set of electric fences in Szentdomonkos, Hungary at the Slovakian Karst – North Hungarian Mountains. This is an important step to familiarise the livestock keepers with the best practices in prevention measures to halt large carnivore related damages, and promote successful coexistence.

Cooperation is key – First joint conference of the Alpine and the Carpathian Conventions on large carnivores management

A transboundary character of wildlife populations, such as large carnivores, require enhanced international collaboration for successful conservation and management solutions. As large carnivore populations are recovering in Europe, this is even more important to prevent and solve the challenges that arise.

The first wolves have telemetry collars

The project activities are in full swing. We're engaging with stakeholders, setting up camera traps, and the first wolves are already equipped with telemetry collars. Our colleagues in Slovenia were the first to deploy one of them.

Cross-border monitoring of large carnivores in the Beskydy-Kysuce pilot area

On 17-18 February 2024, LECA experts together with volunteers will monitor large carnivores in the Beskydy-Kysuce pilot area

Let’s identify the most pressing problems