Skopje, 21 September 2023 (MIA) - The Balkan lynx population is quite small, there are only 40-50 lynxes in the wild that need the help from Macedonian institutions, non-governmental sector, international institutions, in order to ensure their protection in the Western Balkans. For now, we think that the lynx population is stable, that it is not declining, but it faces certain threats, such as inbreeding, that challenges small isolated populations which can lead to a big decline, and ultimately extinction, said Macedonian Ecological Society director Dime Melovski in his presentation at the Europe House Skopje on Thursday, on the Balkan lynx recovery programme that will be carried out across three Balkan countries - North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo.

"We are here to present the results before the institutions that mainly deal with international issues. There are also representatives of non-government organizations and embassies present. This event is held under the auspices of EU Ambassador David Geer and the goal is to provide information on current developments and offer support. I think within these next four years it will be crucial to cooperate with all institutions, as much as possible, that deal with environmental protection" Melovski said.

EU Ambassador David Geer said in his address that environmental protection, maintaining biodiversity and improving sustainable use of natural resources, has always been important for EU.

"North Macedonia is a host to rich biodiversity, including many endangered, rare and endemic species, as well as relatively large unspoiled ecosystems. The global trend of biodiversity loss also affects this county, so actions to protect and preserve such wealth are of great importance," Geer said.

He added that the Macedonian Ecological Society is appreciated for their activism in environmental protection and the fight against biodiversity loss.

Current challenges for environmental protection, Geer noted, can only be solved with shared commitment and activism. ssh/ik/

Photo: MIA