TIRANA, March 14 /ATA/ Surveys in Shebenik National Park have documented Lynx lynx balcanicus, verifying the presence of this rare, protected subspecies and a key indicator of regional biodiversity.

Minister of Environment Sofjan Jaupaj shared in the social media the camera trap footage confirming the presence of two individuals in the park’s natural habitats.

The work of the protected area specialists through the trap camera, field tracks and observations brings interesting images of wildlife in Shebenik National Park.

The Balkan lynx was photographed for the first time in Albania on April 21, 2011, in the Munella Mountain region. This documentation was a great achievement for the Association for Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) because it confirmed the existence of this critically endangered species in the Albanian territory.

In 2022, PPNEA trap camera also captured it in Prespa.

The Balkan lynx is the third largest predator in Europe, the Balkan region and Albania, after the brown bear and the wolf.

It is mainly threatened by illegal hunting, deforestation and degradation, as well as lack of prey.

In Albania, it is classified as "critically endangered". The lynx inhabits forest areas throughout most of its range.

This subspecies is widespread in several countries of the Balkan Peninsula, such as Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia. /p.s./