Camera-trap records of breeding Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) at the Mount Ilgaz Wildlife Reserve

Abstract

Breeding seasons are one of the most important periods for the life cycle of large mammals. The young individuals oflarge carnivore mammals are usually dependent on the female for food and protection. Therefore, availability of thesources and human disturbance at the breeding site are critical for a successful breeding season. The breeding site is of vitalimportance to the survival of the new-borns and thus to the trends in the population size. The present study assesses thebreeding records of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) based on camera-trapping surveys at the Mount Ilgaz Wildlife Reserve inthe province of Kastamonu. The surveys were conducted continuously over a four year period (2014-2018) and the resultsindicate that the camera-trap stations, which detected the cubs of Eurasian lynx, have also been used by the juvenileindividuals of two other top predator large mammals, brown bear (Ursus arctos) and grey wolf (Canis lupus) and the juvenilesof their prey species, red deer (Cervus elaphus) and brown hare (Lepus europaeus). Consequently, further assessment ofthe Wildlife Reserve Area considering the breeding records of the large mammals will contribute to have more effectiveprotection for the Eurasian lynx and other wildlife populations in the Western Black Sea Region of Anatolia.