Balkan lynx: The cat whose path we crossed

You know the story of Schrödinger’s cat? A thought experiment in which famous German physicist, Erwin Schrödinger, described how a cat in a box could be in an uncertain predicament. The peculiar rules of quantum theory meant that it could be both dead and alive, until the box was opened and the cat’s state measured.

The most famous paradox could be comfortably called Schrödinger’s Balkan lynx. Particularly in Montenegro. The Directorate for Forestry and Hunting in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, as well as the Hunting association of Montenegro claim that we have it in Montenegro. However, the Center for Protection and Research of Birds and NGO Wildlife Montenegro says the situation is somewhat different.

Rare species in the past…

We can confirm with certainty that Balkan lynx, although rare species, existed in Montenegro. Pavle Rovinski, a Russian historian who spent in Montenegro a big part of his life (19th century), claimed that during hunting “sometimes one comes to the lynx", in effect that “one very rarely encounters a lynx." Firer, the first ornithologist, scientist from Austria, mentions that the heir to the throne Danilo, who was enthroned after the death of King Nikola, showed him the fur of a lynx caught in 1890. in Sutorman. He also claimed that during a royal hunting in November 1894., on  the Bjelasica mountain, in which he also took part, among other game, a “strong specimen" of a lynx was killed. Jovan Erdeljanović, serbian ethnologist mentioned that there was a lynx in the Bratonožić area in the past.

Balkan lynx’s harsh reality

The least numerous subspecies of the Eurasian lynx is the Balkan lynx. Due to the small number and high risk of extinction, this species is on the IUCN Red List (global list with data on the conservation status of the species).

Today, the presence of the Balkan lynx in our country is recorded only in cross border areas, very rarely. According to NGO Wildlife Montenegro, it is not commendable.

– Having in mind that lynx is an animal that needs a big area, by which is meant the one individual and its territory,  as a small country we cannot look at from a national perspective, because we are only a part of the overall population which is already estimated to be small. The Balkan lynx is defined as a critically endangered species. This means that it is a species whose population has been reduced to only about 50 adults. When it comes to endangerment factors, they are clearly defined for the Balkan lynx: naturally small population, limited availability of prey and habitat degradation and poaching – as said from Wildlife Montenegro.

From November 2014. to June 2018., Center for Protection and Research of Birds conducted four independent seasons of monitoring the Balkan lynx through with photo traps, in the area of the National Park ‘Prokletije’, as well as in the cross border areas between Montenegro and Kosovo and Montenegro and Albania. During each of the monitoring seasons, the position of the photo-traps was being changed, in coordination with colleagues from Kosovo and Albania. Unfortunately, during the entire monitoring period, the presence of the Balkan lynx was not confirmed in Montenegro.    

The Directorate for Forestry and Hunting denies that the Balkan lynx was exterminated in our country and claims that its habitats are in Prokletije and Hajla.

– Recent research conducted with international partners (EuroNatur, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Species Survival Network (SSC)) report about the findings of this species in Prokletije and Hajla, which goes in favor to the fact that we have mostly suppressed all destructive activities against wildlife with preventive, systematical measures, above all by the adoption of the Law on Weapons – as said from the Directorate.

However, Aleksandar Perovic, biologist – mammalogist from CZIP, who led the research in Montenegro,  said that no one could claim with certainty that the presence of lynx had been proven on the territory of Hajla, both on the Montenegrin and Kosovo sides.

– This news was sensationally published in the media and was never verified with any evidence. Speaking the truth, in the territory of Kosovo, the presence of one individual of Balkan lynx in the Shar mountain had been proven by camera traps, a mother with youngs near Dečani, and one individual in Boge, which gravitates towards Montenegro. There is a possibility that a smaller part of the territory held by this individual is in Montenegro, but this has not been officially confirmed – said Perović.

Presence of lynx is also noted in Hunting Association in Montenegro, based on available data.

– There are areas of his permanent presence and areas where he resides occasionally. We cannot speak for sure about its numerical situation in Montenegro, we can confirm that these are rare specimens and that their number is very small – said from Hunting Association.

As a reaction on this statement, the NGO Wildlife Montenegro asked why relevant institutions are not doing anything to increase their number.

– If the conclusion is that their number is small, why relevant institutions do nothing to make the conditions for increasing the number of this species, i.e. to provide basic ecological conditions in which these animals would be able to reproduce (peace, habitat and sufficient food). We suggest starting with the legislation, because how much we care about the future of this species is shown by the fact that it is not recognized by the Law on Hunting, nor is it on the List of legally protected animal species – as said from Wildlife Montenegro.

Poaching until the disappearance of game

As the poaching present the threat factor for lynx, so it is for all other wildlife.

While from Directorate for Forestry and Hunting say that poaching is occasionally present in the Montenegrin hunting grounds, not in the scale that would lead to a threat of any species that live freely in nature, from NGO Wildlife Montenegro claim that due to the hunting pressure it comes to local extinction, or very low occurrences of roe deer and chamois in certain areas, where we could expect them in greater numbers.

– These species are the basis for large carnivores feeding (which is, for example, the basis for the survival of lynx). Montenegro does not have a Red book of fauna, so we still rely on the international legislation and professional opinions. By researching the historical distribution of certain hunting species, it is very easy to come to the conclusion that lawlessness from the past (until the middle of the 20th century) led to their endangerment, not only in Montenegro, but also in the Balkans. There are, for example, data on the presence of lynx 300 years ago on Lovćen or in Bratonožići. Now these are very changed habitats and are not suitable for this species – said from Wildlife Montenegro.

The Hunting Association said that, as in any other activity, there are violators and poaching is present, but not to the extent that it endangers any game species in Montenegro.

The abundance of charismatic game is questionable?

When it comes to increasing the number of precious game in Montenegro, NGO Wildlife Montenegro said that no one in Montenegro has the correct answer to that question.

– None of the mammal species in Montenegro has been monitored on a national level, never in the history of Montenegro. Only when the counting is carried out in accordance with the scientifically established methods, in a period of three to five years, only then this question could be clearly answered – they said

On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water management and the Hunting Association of Montenegro claim that the number of precious game is increasing, although they have not stated how they determined that.

– In the recent period, the general public had the opportunity to be informed, from the media reports, that the number of game (especially precious game) is increasing throughout the territory of Montenegro. We emphasize that this Ministry, when giving consent to the Annual hunting plans implemented by the users of hunting grounds, allocates minimum quotas for the shooting of certain species, most often vermins – they stated.

The Hunting Association says that as a result of many years of hard work in hunting, there is an evident increase in the number of all game species in hunting grounds in Montenegro: roe deer, chamois, bears, wild boars, rabbits and rock partridge.

– And all other species, what was confirmed by European experts in the field of hunting, biology and veterinary at the meetings held during their stays in Montenegro – they said.        

Again, we do not have specific names of people who made these researches. The Hunting Association of Montenegro has no problem with referring to European experts who allegedly confirmed these views, but it has when it comes to saying who these people are by name and surname. They did not answer on that question.

Criminal charges against poaching

Based on the information available to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water management in the past five years, 60 criminal charges were filed, 56 misdemeanors and 69 disciplinary proceedings were initiated against members of hunting associations.

– We have not received information about their outcome from the courts and hunting ground users – as said from the Ministry.        

In the past three hunting years, 55 criminal charges, 41 misdemeanor and 43 disciplinary penalties have been filed by the Hunting Association of Montenegro, and the outcome of these charges is known to the competent courts and hunting ground users.

Police officers in the last five years, filed 52 criminal charges in accordance with Article 325 and 326 of Criminal Code of Montenegro.

The Inspectorate for Forestry, Hunting and Plant Protection for the period 2017, 2018, 2019 and for the six months of 2020 performed a total of 898 inspections, i.e. inspections in the field of hunting, then imposed a measure to eliminate irregularities in 59 cases and issued 15 rescripts.

For non-compliance with the Law on Game and Hunting, it issued 24 misdemeanor warrants in the amount of EUR 4,600.00 for the reporting period, submitted 22 requests for initiating misdemeanor proceedings to the competent courts and filed six criminal charges for illegal hunting, as well as confiscated 50 quails.

In addition to regular activities, this inspection performed supervision on initiatives, and most of it in the previous period was from NGOs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water management, then from individuals and the least from the Hunting Association of Montenegro.

Following the path of criminal charges, the last stop and perhaps the most important were the prosecution and the court, which referred me to their sites due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which do not work.

True and false

Nature is more than a good example that everything is connected to each other. The better quality of human life is largely “provided" by nature, and the quality of nature is best described by the state of flora and fauna in it. Diversity ensures the stability of ecosystems, and thus our survival. Today we have a case when the wildlife is in a very bad condition due to habitat loss, poaching and hunting. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the “Report on Life on the Planet" for 2020 shows that during 46 years (1970-2016) there was a staggering decline in the animal population by 68 percent.

It seems that we in Montenegro are not so worried about these data because, as the institutions say, they show the situation differently. And while everything seems to be in order, we are witnessing a decreasing number of game, even charismatic ones, every day. The social network Facebook is flooded with profiles of hunters / poachers who often hastily brag about their prey, even when it is not a hunting day ,or even a hunting season. Reported applications remain in drawers, or are inadequately processed. Court judgments do not reflect the real situation on the field. The law seems to work only on paper. People who work outside state institutions and are not dependent on the state budget, transparently report about this issue. There are no restrained information, fictitious research or diplomatic answers that tell us nothing.

In order to preserve planet Earth and our life on it, we must become aware that without biodiversity we cannot expect to accomplish this. And if we are not aware that the wild animal needs freedom and habitat, that we do not owe them preservation of biodiversity, but that it is our obligation, then let’s think about all future generations to whom we will leave this country.

It is also a pity for Montenegro that there is no such animal as Balkan lynx, because the habitat it needs, we have. We can only conclude that we are sorry that we crossed the path for this cat.

Jelena Vukašinović