The czech-Slovakian carnivore project is struggling for the victory
Created on: 21.3.2012
Large carnivore project of Friends of the Earth Czech Republic has been selected in a short-list of the best projects in a grant competition, organized by European outdoor conservation association (EOCA). In Nature category, supported by National Geographic Germany just one 
of six projects will be selected by public voting process.
Thanks to an amazing public support, the project of conservation of large carnivores in the West Carpathians is struggling for the victory. But still many votes are needed...
The main objective is to protect populations of large carnivore mammals - wolves, lynx and bears at the area of the Beskydy and Kysuce Mts. on the Czech-Slovak border in the West Carpathians.
The endangered carnivores mostly suffer from negative public opinion, poaching and the fragmentation of their habitats. Project aims particularly to improve socio-political conditions necessary for coexistence between wild carnivores and humans and will be realized in cooperation with Slovak partner (NGO Fatranský spolok), because West Carpathians are situated in both countries. The main measure is a field monitoring conducted by trained volunteers, who oversee a selected area and act as guards against illegal hunting and trapping. So called "Wolf and Lynx Patrols" are also an important source of local community involvement; volunteers help with the distribution of information materials, communicate with tourists, recreational users and local people. Education campaign targets on children and students on local schools and on specific groups: hunters, foresters, local authorities and tourists.
One of the output of the monitoring - authentic pictures of lynx from trail cameras - will be used in a public campaign (a new web application) and will contribute to the objective estimation of carnivores' numbers, which is important for the discussion with specific target groups. Direct measures bear-proof waste containers will take place to prevent bears from human-habituated behaviour.
From the long-term, protection of existing migration corridors is a key point to ensure connectivity among large mammals' populations. Therefore participation of citizens and NGOs is crucial in spatial planning and decision making procedures where migration corridors are concerned. The key migration corridors will be protected together with local communities. Seedlings of deciduous trees will be planted, protected and some land will be purchased to ensure long-term conservation of migration corridors. All in all, project will also help with dispersal of endangered carnivores to the West.
Since our sources and public funds in the Czech Republic are limited, funding from EOCA is a crucial for the proper and complex implementation of the whole project. EOCA grant will be used on costs related to the direct measures in favour of endangered species conducted by volunteers and also on publication of educational materials, purchasing trail cameras for monitoring and some expert services.
Please support our project now and vote through EOCA website just be three clicks.
