Lynx education trail is perfect for everyone who is interested in learning about the life of Europe's largest wild cat – the Eurasian lynx.

Along the trail, you will find information boards, filled with interesting facts about lynx. There are two trails available - short and long.

The short lynx trail measures 700 m in distance and has 8 thematic stops and sights along the trail. It is an easy trail, suitable for families and children. We recommend wearing sportswear when you visit it.

The long lynx trail measures 2,7 km in distance and has 8 thematic stops and sights along the trail. It is an easy mountain trail with short climbs. We recommend wearing trekking boots and bringing poles when you visit it. On the longer trail you will get to know the lynx's habitat by walking to Mestni vrh, where a magnificent view of Kočevje awaits you. Both trails are circular and end at the Koča pri Jelenov Studenec Hut.

The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is the largest wild cat in Europe. They are easily recognizable by their brown coat with a characteristic pattern of spots and dots, which is unique for each lynx. In Slovenia, they are present mostly in the area of Dinaric fir-beech forests, which are sparsely populated. The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and its habitat are protected under the Natura 2000 ecological network, which is the foundation of the European nature conservation efforts. In their footprints you can only see the round paws, never claws, since they are hidden in the skinfolds of their finger pads (this allows them to approach their prey silently).

Lynx are solitary animals, however they constantly communicate amongst themselves and mark their territory. They need large, continuous forest areas to live and play an important role in the ecosystem as the apex predator. The lynx used to be present throughout all of Slovenia until it dissapeared at the start of the 20th century. To save the lynx population from extinction, several new lynx were translocated into Slovenia and Croatia within the framework of the LIFE Lynx project. Lynx from the Carpathians will improve the genetic diversity of the Dinaric population and reduce inbreeding.

The lynx educational trail was created within the LIFE Lynx project, Preventing the Extinction of the Dinaric-SE Alpine Lynx Population Through Reinforcement and Long-term Conservation.

For more info about the eurasian lynx read our story.

As part of the LIFELynx project, the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Ljubljana has prepared interactive e-lessons, where you can learn many interesting facts about lynxes. You can access the lessons via this link.