Activity patterns and patterns of habitat use as an indicator of interactions between female and male Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)

Evrazijski ris (Lynx lynx) je večino svojega življenja samotarska žival. Svoj domači okoliš si navadno deli s »partnerskim« osebkom nasprotnega spola, s katerim je navadno le v indirektnem kontaktu ter do osamosvojitve tolerira tudi svoje potomce. Mikro-socialne odnose med osebki vrste kot je Evrazijski ris je zelo težko spremljati. V naši raziskavi smo imeli izjemno redko priložnost istočasno spremljati teritorialnega samca in samico, ki sta si delila svoj domači okoliš na območju Male gore nad Ribnico. Proučevana osebka sta bila generalno gledano aktivna predvsem v času svita in zore. Sezonsko gledano sta bila najbolj aktivna v predparitveni sezoni in najmanj v času kotitve samice. Analiza velikosti domačih okolišev (95% MCP) je pokazala, da sta imela tako samec (154 km2) kot tudi samica (60 km2) občutno manjše domače okoliše od povprečja pridobljenih podatkov v literaturi za to vrsto. Ne glede na to, da je bil domači okoliš samice skozi celotno leto znotraj domačega okoliša samca, z izjemo obdobja brejosti samice (96% prekrivanje), pa direktna srečanja niso bila pogosta. V približno devetih mesecih spremljanja sta bila le 24-krat v direktnem kontaktu. V tej raziskavi smo zaznali izjemno redek primer induciranega estrusa samice evrazijskega risa, ki ga je induciral samec po prihodu na samičin domači okoliš, ko jo je tudi oplodil. Rezultati se v večini skladajo z zaključki iz podobnih raziskav na temo socialnih interakcij.The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a mostly solitary animal. It usually shares its home range with an individual of the opposite sex largely avoidingdirect contact. The female tolerates its offsprings until they become independent. Micro-social relationships between individuals are very difficult to monitor. We had a rare opportunity to simultaneously observe a territorial male and female who shared their home range in the area of Mala gora near to the town of Ribnica in southern Slovenia. The studied individuals were active mainly at dawn and dusk. They were most active during the pre-mating season and least active during partruition. Home range size analysis (95% MCP) showed that both the male (154 km2) and female (60 km2) had significantly smaller home ranges than the average for this species. Although the male and female\u27s home ranges overlapped completely throughout the year, except during the female\u27s pregnancy (96% overlap), direct encounters were not frequent. In approximately nine months of monitoring, they were only 24 times in direct contact. In this study, we detected an extremely rare case of induced estrus of female Eurasian lynx in nature. Upon arrival of the male lynx on the female\u27s home range, the male induced the female\u27s estrus and fertilized her in the first week of June, when the female should have already given birth. Our results are in general comparable with the results from similar researches

Monitoring of activity of medium-sized carnivores by using foto trap

Medium-sized carnivores (Carnivore), representative of which are also fox (Vulpes vulpes) and European badger (Meles meles), are represented in a rather high number in Slovenia. Both are dietary generalists and mostly eat everything available. These two species have very similar preferences in searching the most appropriate habitat. They like to inhabit ecologically diverse landscapes in vicinity of farmland the best. Their activity depends on the form of the habitat, population density, and the amount of food, which is a consequence of the first two factors. The purpose of the thesis was to research the activity of fox and badger, and to establish whether factors, such as social periods, temperature, precipitation, moon phases, and daylight, influence the activity. Collection of samples took place from the beginning of February to the end of May 2016 in the area of the Čadraška hosta in the vicinity of Šentjernej. I used a method of monitoring by using a photo trap in order to obtain the data. The data was then collected, classified by time, added notes, and statistically analysed. I established that the activity is influenced by factors, such as daylight, amount of precipitation, and social periods (in my case: mating period and a period of rearing season). Day and night activity were mainly changing in the case of fox, which had five offspring in May. In the case of badger this activity was not changed, and it took place only at night. The amount of precipitation influenced both species. Mainly serious precipitation decreased activity. We saw differences in activity in the period of changing dawn and dusk in both species. Exits from den depended on time of dusk and dawn in both species, badger and fox. Changes occurred only in the period of offspring´s activity in den, which forced the doe to leave the den with them and to be active. However, the factors moon phases and temperatures during my monitoring did not caused statistically important differences

Characteristics of spatial use and importance of landscape features for recovering populations of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)

Following the extirpation from Central and Southeastern Europe by the end of the 19th  century, Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) was reintroduced in the Alps and Dinarics. The recovering population sizes fluctuated over the years; however, they remained relatively small and isolated since their distribution after the establishment has not significantly expanded by natural colonization. One of the most radical changes to the landscape of Europe over the past centuries has been the creation of vast urban and agricultural areas and subsequent extension of infrastructure, causing increasingly fragmented landscape, especially for weak dispersers like lynx. There is a pressing need to establish greater connectivity between the genetically isolated populations, particularly throughout the Alps and Dinarics, to achieve a viable metapopulation structure. In the paper, we review scientific knowledge on Eurasian lynx spatial requirements and behaviour, and critically evaluate the methods used. Apart from habitat suitability and connectivity studies, we also provide a review of lynx home range sizes and movement activity, including dispersion. We present habitat suitability model constructed to examine suitable habitat for recovering Dinaric - SE Alpine population and compare home range sizes of lynx from Dinarics in Slovenia with other lynx populations in Europe. Future considerations for lynx conservation should include the impact of climate change, protection of corridor areas, reducing impact of barriers and, if needed, “complement” dispersal via translocations to achieve viable pan-European lynx metapopulation in the future

Kratka vprašanja in odgovori o risih in projektu LIFE Lynx

Publikacija z odgovori na temo dolgoročnega ohranjanja ris