According to the IUCN Red List Criteria, the Balkan lynx is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) under criterion D as the number of mature individuals is estimated to be less than 50. The total size of the population is estimated to be 32 mature individuals. The continuous presence of the Balkan lynx is so far only confirmed for Macedonia and Albania in two separate, but relatively close locations, therefore the population is considered to consist of two sub-populations. Although the distribution range of the taxon is divided into two nuclei, the Macedonian sub-population seems to be connected. During 1990-1995 as well as 1996-2001 Pan-European assessments based on experts from the regional countries indicated a decrease for both population size and distribution range. The latest assessments conducted by the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme in North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro have revealed a stabilization in population size and area of occupancy since about 2008. The core area with known reproduction is Mavrovo National Park and its vicinity in North Macedonia, but recent indications revealed a possible reproduction in Dobra Voda and Jablanica Mountain, at the border with Albania.

Despite the legal status of protection, stuffed individuals are used as decoration ornaments in some restaurants and hotels in the Macedonian countryside. Owing to weak law enforcement, restaurant owners are never prosecuted or questioned for the origin of protected species.

The Eurasian lynx is included in Appendix II of CITES and strictly protected under the EU Habitats and Species Directive (Annexes II and IV). It is also included as strictly protected species under Appendix II of the Bern Convention.

The Balkan lynx is fully protected by two laws in North Macedonia: Law on Hunting (Official Gazette 20/1996) and Law on Nature Protection (Official Gazette 67/2004). It is listed as Emerald species in N.Macedonia. Although a recovery strategy and a National Action Plan for the Balkan lynx exist, they are not ratified by the relevant ministries. An advanced version of the Macedonian Action Plan dedicated only to the core area (Mavrovo National Park) has been developed with the park in 2013. In 2015 this Action Plan was approved by the park officials and its implementation is under way.

1. A three-year project named “Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme” (BLRP) started in Macedonia and Albania in 2006 after several years of preparation (Breitenmoser-Würsten and Breitenmoser, 2001; von Arx et al., 2004). The project’s aim was to combine lynx protection and the establishment of new protected areas (prime lynx habitats) in MKD and ALB. The Balkan lynx was chosen as a flagship and umbrella species. The project’s main goals were: survey and monitoring of the Balkan Lynx, collecting baseline information on Balkan lynx distribution, population trend, abundance, prey availability etc., developing a range-wide Conservation Strategy and National Action Plan, define areas along the European Green Belt in the Balkan Lynx distribution and lobby for their proclamation as protected areas, and to build professional partnership consisting of relevant stakeholders in the field of nature protection (Breitenmoser et al., 2008). The project was sponsored by the Swiss-based MAVA Foundation. In parallel with these activities a Human Dimension project started in both countries and was funded by the Research Council of Norway. The objective of this project was to investigate the human-large carnivore relationship, possible conflicts, and the attitudes of the local people, and to build the capacities to meet the challenges of cross border cooperation in large carnivore conservation.

2. A second phase of the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme started in 2010 as a continuation of the previously defined goals and activities. The need for ground-truth data on Balkan lynx biology and ecology led to the first scientific project called: Status, ecology and land-tenure system of the critically endangered Balkan lynx in Macedonia and Albania (Breitenmoser et al., 2012). The project was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under the SCOPES programme (Scientific Cooperation between Eastern Europe and Switzerland). The project started in 2010 and lasted until the end of the second phase of BLRP 2012. During this period, three male individuals were captured and fitted with GPS collars, one intensive camera-trapping survey was conducted in the core area and a wildlife monitoring network was created consisting of motivated and knowledgeable people.

3. The third phase of the BLRP project (2013-2016) focuses mainly on two major goals: to work intensively on the monitoring and action plan development within the areas where Balkan lynx are present (Mavrovo NP and Munella Mt.), to expand the project’s activities to include Montenegro and Kosovo by conducting a baseline survey in both countries. This phase also focuses on awareness-rising at local, national and international levels, as well as on education-based activities for schoolchildren in primary schools.

4. The fourth and fifth phase (2016-2020) are focused on six different strategies: education of local children, declaring a protected area relevant for the Balkan lynx, efficiency in protected areas with Mavrovo NP being in the focus, policy work on most relevant laws, hunting and anti-poaching strategy trying to outline the reasons for poaching and the management of hunting grounds in Macedonia, and research and monitoring strategy looking into the Balkan lynx abundance, trend, occurrence in new areas and telemetry work.