Help WWF bring the lynx back to Bulgaria

What does it mean to have lynxes in nature? What are they indicators of? Why is their presence so crucial?

We talked about this with one of the best experts on the species in Bulgaria - Associate Professor Diana Zlatanova. She is a zoologist who deals with vertebrates, mainly mammals. She is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Biology of Sofia University. Before that she worked for years at the Sofia Zoo. For more than 20 years Assoc. Prof. Zlatanova has been studying large carnivores in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula.

On the significance of the lynx

‘As the largest cat in Europe, this species, in addition to being an exceptionally beautiful and elegant animal, has found its important niche in regulating the numbers and health status of smaller ungulates such as roe deer and wild goat, medium-sized carnivores such as foxes and jackals, and the wild hare. It thus becomes an important part of the energy cycle in nature,’ Assoc. Prof. Zlatanova says.

‘Further, through its ecological influence on ungulates, lynx provides important ecosystem services related to maintaining healthy and abundant vegetation, resulting in the regulation of soil fertility, clean water production, and climate regulation,’ she adds.

According to her, the presence of all predators that have inhabited our lands since time immemorial is an important proof of a healthy nature.

‘If human influence is minimal or carefully implemented, the presence of predators such as the lynx will regulate and maintain this important balance of use and recovery naturally. And this requires that we strive to bring back to our natural environment those that have disappeared, like the lynx,’ she points out.

And what important steps should be taken to help bring the lynx back to Bulgaria?

‘First and foremost - strict control of poaching not only on the lynx, but also on the species that are its food base. In addition to control, effective penalties for poaching are needed in line with the damage caused to nature. Equally important, sufficient effort and resources must be devoted to the study of the lynx, which is by far the least studied species in the Balkans,’ says the expert.

WWF Bulgaria is actively working on providing species like the lynx with a safe and secure natural home and is a vocal advocate against poaching. We are deeply grateful to all our donors for becoming our partners in creating a world where humans and wildlife live together in harmony!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Links:

• Interview with Assoc. Prof. Diana Zlatanova
• More on our work for the lynx