Population based (transnational) monitoring, management and stakeholder involvement for the Eurasian Lynx affecting 3 Lynx Populations in the Central Europe Area
Common challenge: The Eurasian lynx is a highly endangered species, protected under national laws and EU Habitat Directive. Lynx inhabits Europe mostly with transnational populations, that are a conservation priority according to EU guidelines. The main threats for lynx survival are illegal killing (due to lack of acceptance by key stakeholders) and habitat fragmentation hindering migration. In addition, unharmonised (national) monitoring and management traditions hamper a coordinated approach. The challenge is to integrate lynx monitoring, conservation and management of conflicts between stakeholders (leading to illegal killing), carried out and coordinated by responsible authorities and NGOs, towards a common strategy on transnational population level. The main objectives, expected changes of the project are: a) to improve lynx conservation capacities by responsible stakeholders through experience, data and tool sharing; b) to jointly analyse gained data at both population and transnational levels; c) to implement a harmonised lynx monitoring on population level, also as an instrument to achieve active involvement of key stakeholders, namely hunters and foresters, into lynx conservation issues (aimed to improve acceptance); d) to increase problem awareness among other stakeholder groups and connect the activities to macroregional/multinational strategies.  The main outputs will be a transnational strategy affecting 3 lynx populations, endorsed by MoUs, an integrated toolbox and a sound acknowledgement of the approach by EUSALP, EUSDR, Alpine and Carpathian Conventions.  The innovative aspect and the transnational added value is:-a transnational approach that does not follow national borders, but the dynamic demarcation line of the lynx population itself; -the integration of lynx monitoring and involvement of key stakeholders; -the introduction of innovative participative methodologies into stakeholder cooperation routines for keyinstitutions from 6 CE-countries.