Lynx

The Eurasian lynx feeds primarily on wild ungulates, particularly roe deer and chamois. It also preys on larger animals such as red deer, moose, and wild boar when the opportunity arises. Where large prey is scarce, its diet shifts to birds, hares, and small mammals, including rodents. In Scandinavia, reindeer are also an important part of its diet. Predation on livestock remains a significant source of conflict in some parts of Europe, particularly in Finland. Livestock losses caused by lynx are also reported in France, Switzerland, and Austria. The Balkan lynx, which is smaller than the Eurasian lynx, consumes approximately 1–2.5 kg of meat per day.

The Balkan lynx is found mainly in mountainous areas between 600 and 2,000 metres above sea level, in the southern part of the Dinaric mountain range. Its preferred habitats include deciduous forests (beech, oak, and chestnut), coniferous forests (fir and pine), mixed forests (particularly beech–fir forests), as well as more fragmented woodland landscapes. It uses rocky, sun-exposed areas as daytime resting sites, while shrublands and agricultural landscapes are used primarily for hunting and foraging rather than for breeding.

Historically, the Eurasian lynx was widely distributed across Greece. The species occurred throughout Northern Greece, as well as in Epirus, Thessaly, Central Greece, and the Peloponnese, with its strongest presence in the Pindus mountain range and the mountains of Macedonia and Thrace, including Vitsi, Varnous, Mount Voras, and the Rhodope Mountains. Around 1950, local residents still reported sightings of lynx in the forests surrounding Lake Vistonida, the Nestos Delta, and the Kotza Orman Forest.

The last confirmed records of the species date from the late 1960s in the mountains of Evros, where local communities were well acquainted with the animal, referring to it by the Turkish-derived name “Sarı Guçuk” (sarı meaning “reddish” and guçuk meaning “short-tailed”). Local people also recognised the distinctive call of the lynx and believed that its presence frightened wolves away—a welcome trait, as wolves were considered responsible for most livestock losses. The last two lynx observed in the Evros region were reportedly seen by local shepherds during the late 1960s.

During the nineteenth—and especially the twentieth—century, the species’ distribution contracted dramatically. By the end of the twentieth century, reports of lynx presence in Greece had become extremely rare. The principal causes of this decline are believed to have been intensive livestock farming, persecution through hunting, the severe reduction of its natural prey populations, and habitat loss and degradation.

Today, the conservation status of the lynx in Greece remains uncertain. Occasional reports continue to emerge from the Northern Pindus, Mount Voras, and other mountainous regions, but none has been supported by conclusive scientific evidence confirming the existence of a resident population. The few verified records available suggest that these individuals originate from the Balkan lynx population, dispersing into Greece from neighbouring countries. Such movements are entirely plausible, as lynx are capable of travelling up to 300 kilometres while searching for new territories to colonise. For the latest information on the distribution of Europe’s large carnivores, visit the official Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (LCIE) database, available through the European Commission. Callisto has contributed to the research underpinning this European-wide assessment.

The gradual abandonment of traditional livestock farming, together with the migration of much of the rural population to urban areas, has led to a significant increase in forest cover across Greece. Dense forests—particularly in the Rhodope Mountains and the Northern Pindus—now occupy areas that were formerly used mainly as grazing land. Although forest cover has expanded, the availability of natural prey remains relatively poor in areas that could otherwise provide suitable habitat for the lynx.

Regarding its principal prey species:

1.Red deer have virtually disappeared from Greece. Only a few individuals remain in the Rhodope Mountains, while the population in Mount Parnitha National Park originates from reintroduction efforts.
2.Roe deer are still widely distributed, but their populations have declined significantly due to illegal hunting.
3.Balkan chamois are still present, although only in small, isolated populations.
4.Other potential prey species, such as European hares, western capercaillie, and partridges, may occur across broad areas, but their population densities are either low or insufficiently documented.

The lynx has no natural predators, although isolated cases of individuals being killed by wolves or tigers have been recorded elsewhere within its wider range. Today, the principal causes of lynx mortality are human-related, particularly road collisions and illegal hunting. In addition, the political instability and armed conflicts that affected the Balkans during the late twentieth century had a severe impact on lynx populations. The widespread availability of firearms led to a sharp increase in poaching, not only of lynx themselves but also of the prey species on which they depend. Given these pressures—and considering the extremely small population of the Balkan lynx, estimated at only 20–39 individuals—the species is unlikely to recover naturally under current conditions. Further conservation measures are therefore considered essential to support the return of the lynx to Greece and to strengthen population recovery across the Balkans, thereby reducing the risk of extinction for the Balkan lynx.

In Greece, the lynx has been legally protected since 1937 under Emergency Law 856/1937, and it is also included among the protected species listed in Presidential Decree 67/1981. Hunting the species is currently prohibited under Greek hunting legislation (Article 258, paragraph 2Ζ of Legislative Decree 86/1969, as amended by Article 7 of Law 177/1975).

At the European level, the lynx is listed in Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), requiring both the designation of Special Areas of Conservation and strict species protection. It is also included in Appendix III of the Bern Convention, while international trade in the species is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

According to the Red Data Book of Threatened Animals of Greece (2009), the lynx is classified as Critically Endangered, reflecting its extremely high risk of extinction within the country.