Threats for large carnivores in the Czech Republic
Wolves, lynx and bears are controversial animals. Like in other European countries, their populations suffered from human persecution in past centuries, which lead to their total extermination in the Czech Republic. After a recovery of their populations in the second half of 20th century, they have been still threatened by people. Modern problems have come from negative public opinion, poaching, landscape fragmentation and hunting.
Public attitudes and poaching
The key issues are related with a public opinion. Carnivores come to contact with people in areas of livestock breeding and sometimes they can be dangerous to a man. Moreover, negative attitudes are common among Czech hunters. For instance, a positive role of the Eurasian lynx in the ecosystem was confirmed by only 19% of Czech hunters [1]. Despite to protection by law, animals are illegally hunted in the Czech Republic. A half of 14 lynxes monitored during radiotelemetry project in the Šumava Mts. were poached and 20 out of 206 hunters admitted illegally shooting of Eurasian lynx in the anonymous survey conducted in in 2001 in the regions of its occurrence [1]. In 2009, remains of probably poached bear were found in the Beskydy Mts [2]. There are many statements of poached lynxes, wolves and bears, but no offender has been convicted so far. It is hard to collect evidences of a crime taking place often at night and without witnesses.
Landscape fragmentation and migration barriers
In Europe, large carnivores are moderately tolerant of many developments, but modern highways can prevent movements or even kill animals. If habitats become fragmented into small isolated pieces, species that need lots of space, such as large carnivores, will not survive.
In the Czech Republic, the rate of habitat fragmentation increased markedly during last decades. Between years 1980-2005, a share of unfragmented landscape decreased from 81 % to 64 % [3].
Photo: L. Machalová, J. Červený
There are also a couple of cases of killed large carnivores due to collisions with vehicles - a lynx in the Bohemian forest in and in the Beskydy Mts as well.
Hunting in neighboring countries
Wild animals do not respect borders created by humans. Different management in an area belonging to two or more countries can therefore influence the whole population of a carnivore regarded as a game species which is a subject of legal hunting.
This is the case of Slovakian wolves, legally hunted for four months a year and strictly protected in neighboring Czech Republic and Poland. 100-160 wolves are killed per year by Slovakian hunters which corresponds to more than 50 % of average number of wolves in Slovakia. Heavy hunting preasure on population of strictly proteted species is in contrary to European law.
Photo: www.lovuzdar.sk
References:
[1] Červený J. Koubek P., Bufka L., 2002: Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and its chance for survival in Central Europe: the case of the Czech Republic. Acta zoologica lituanica 12 (2002). 62-366.
[2] Beskydy bear-poaching case: Experts to examine carcass (Aktuálně.cz, 5.5. 2009) Available at http://aktualne.centrum.cz/czechnews/clanek.phtml?id=636557
[2] Report of the environment in the Czech Republic in 2009 (in Czech). 268 pp. Available at http://www.mzp.cz/C1257458002F0DC7/cz/news_tz101104zprava%20_o_stavu_2009/$FILE/Zprava_o_ZP_CR_2009.pdf
