Early post-release behaviour of Eurasian lynx translocated to the transboundary region of the Dinaric Mountains

Topličanec, Ira (author), Gomerčić, Tomislav (author), Černe, Rok (author), Krofel, Miha (author), Pop, Ioan-Mihai (author), Kubala, Jakub (author), Tám, Branislav (author), Blašković, Silvia (author), Sindičić, Magda (author)

Translocations of individuals for re-introductions and population reinforcements have been increasingly used in carnivore conservation. Movement is the first behavioural response of reintroduced animals to “forced dispersal” in a new habitat. Our study investigated space use and movement patterns of six male Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) translocated from the Carpathian to the Dinaric Mountains and released at four different sites in Croatia and Slovenia. Data were collected during their early post-release period (i.e. three months after the release) to investigate the first behavioural response following the translocation. Released lynx were monitored with GPS-GSM-VHF telemetry collars set to collect GPS locations in intervals between 4 and 24 h. All animals settled during the study period, on average 23 days (SD = 16.5) after the release. Although outside of the monitoring period that was the focus of this study, two lynx left their first territory 102 and 92 days after their release and went on a second exploratory movement. The main movement direction of the released animals was to the NW-SE, corresponding to the orientation of the predominant ridgelines of the Dinaric Mountain range. Furthermore, by comparing the use and availability of the terrain aspect, we concluded that the lynx chose to move along the mountain range and not perpendicular to the mountain, i.e. they avoided moving uphill and downhill. First kill sites of all animals were detected on average 3.4 days (SD = 1.7) after the release. This study brought valuable theoretical and practical knowledge on the early movement behaviour of translocated lynx that should be considered when planning translocations.

• Language: English
• Keywords: exploratory movement, Lynx lynx, post-release monitoring, reinforcement
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 27.12.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 16 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 71, iss. 22064
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-156025
• UDC: 630*15:630*14
• ISSN on article: 2694-7684
• DOI: 10.25225/jvb.22064
• COBISS.SI-ID: 194174723
• Publication date in RUL: 29.04.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of vertebrate biology
• Shortened title: J. Vertebr. Biol.
• Publisher: Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences
• ISSN: 2694-7684
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2110965

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: gibanje, evrazijski ris, Lynx lynx, doseljevanje