Exchange platform: Coexistence with Large Carnivores in the Dinaric-Balkan-Pindos region

The Western Balkans are one of the most biologically diverse regions in Europe. It is also home to the three large carnivores bear, wolf and lynx, divided between EU and non-EU member states. Given the extensive ranges of these species, transnational coordination for their management is desirable to enable a long-term basis for their conservation.

The project builds upon activities carried out through a previous project A transnational exchange platform for the management of large carnivores in the Dinaric region. This project established an exchange platform bringing together managing authorities and NGOs from: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. At the start of the project, the partners prepared the background report Large Carnivores in the Dinarides: Management, Monitoring, Threats and Conflicts assessing the current status of large carnivores in the region. It gives a basis for further planned meetings and workshops. Two plenary meetings were organised in Ljubljana and Sarajevo. Through these and further joint activities, the national administrations work together with other relevant stakeholders from agriculture, science, hunting and nature conservation on jointly developing guiding principles for future cooperation. The Status report and plan for next steps (also available in Albanian and Croatian) describes the situation at the end of the first project.

The Dinaric-Balkan-Pindos platform project supports two further plenary meetings of the international platform. Further activities include a range of supporting thematic meetings, advocacy and capacity building measures targeted according to the wishes of the platform members. The long-term aim of the platform is, by encouraging exchange between the countries involved, to contribute to meeting their obligations under the EU Habitats Directive, the Bern Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The platform secretariat managed by adelphi and partner Carnivora Magna, ensures impartial steering of the project activities. The Secretariat also investigates and evaluates different financial and legal models for the long-term continuation of the Dinaric Platform on Large Carnivores.

* All references to Kosovo*, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood to be without prejudice to positions on status, and in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.