LECA Project: Supporting Carpathian Carnivore Coexistence

What is the LECA Project?

Lynx, wolves and bears are among the wildlife species that have become synonymous with the beauty of the Carpathian mountains.

However, with numbers of large carnivores on the rise, the issue of human-wildlife conflict has become a much-discussed talking point across Europe at both the legislative and local level.

In an effort to find new solutions to these issues, the EU funded LECA Project was launched in April of 2023 with the aim of establishing cross-border cooperation for the monitoring and protection of large carnivores in the Carpathian region.

By harmonising data collection on species across six different countries, researchers are able to maintain an accurate assessment of population health, thereby informing effective management strategies that balance the needs of both wildlife and human wellbeing.

This process is conducted hand-in-hand with local stakeholders – including hunters, foresters, livestock keepers and farmers – ensuring those most affected by the presence of large carnivores are involved from the ground up.

As an associate partner in the project, the CIC facilitates the cooperation between different stakeholders and wildlife managers, while utilising the CIC Network to help ensure effective cross-border harmonisation.

Country Profile: Hungary

As one of the six countries participating in the LECA Project, Hungary has already made significant strides in collecting data in several sites across the country.

Working in close partnership with WWF Hungary and Bukk National Park authorities as project partners, data is being collected through a network of camera traps placed strategically throughout the operational area of both Bukk and Aggtelek National Park.

Analysis of this data is then providing key information on the health of populations, as well as the behaviours of these predators and their huntable prey species.

Wolf captured as part of camera trap network in Hungary (Photo credit: WWF Hungary in collaboration with Egererdő Zrt)