[3][4] It is found in Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo and western North Macedonia, with smaller populations in Montenegro.
[10] It is believed that in North Macedonia there are from 35 to 40 remaining Balkan lynx, mostly found in Mavrovo National Park.
[17] While the Balkan lynx is listed as a subspecies in much of the news coverage and taxonomic references, there has been some dispute over those claims.
Occasionally, lynx will take domestic livestock or poultry, but generally prefer avoiding human habitations.
Hunters that hunt the small wildlife and game indirectly harm the Balkan lynxes by restricting their source of food, such as roe deer, chamois, and hares.
[1] The degradation of habitat is primarily in Albania, where logging has taken its toll on the environment and negatively affects the Balkan lynx.
[1] Public attitudes towards the Balkan lynx were also gauged through social science studies, indicating that they are mostly positive, although not very well known and have many misconceptions about its size, behavior, and ecology.
[1] This mating process will be further hindered by a complete separation of the two populations in Macedonia and Albania due to the construction of the Skavica Hydroelectric Power Plant.
The Balkan lynx is also protected under the Convention for International Trade of Endangered Species (CITIES) by Appendix II, the Bern Convention by Appendix III, the EU Habitats and Species Directive by Annexes II and IV, as well as all range countries.
Sponsored by the Swiss-based MAVA Foundation, the goals of the program was to survey and monitor the lynx population, gathering data of their distribution, population tendencies, habitation, develop Conservation Strategy and National Action Plans across the range of the Balkan lynx, lobby for the Balkan lynx in protected areas in the European Green Belt, and build professional partnerships with relevant stakeholders in nature protection.
At the same time, a Human Dimension project was started in both Albania and North Macedonia, funded by the Research Council of Norway.
This time, they delved deeper and began a scientific study on the Balkan lynx, supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
The third phase of the BLRP began in 2013 to 2016 and focuses on raising awareness of the critical state of the Balkan lynx in primary schools locally, nationally, and internationally.
They also continue the work on monitoring the core area of habitation of the Balkan lynx as well as expanding the project to combine research in both countries of North Macedonia and Albania.