On Monday, July 15, 36 eager young researchers gathered at the Slovak Academy of Sciences to dive into the world of wildlife in our region, with a special focus on WWF Slovakia’s efforts in lynx conservation. Branislav Tám, a lynx monitoring expert from WWF Slovakia, captivated the students with insights into the rising conflicts between large carnivores and humans, and shared strategies to prevent them. “I was blown away by their knowledge, enthusiasm, and the fantastic questions they asked,” said Tám, who, despite his years of experience, rarely encounters such sharp understanding—even among adults.
What was supposed to be a one-hour lecture stretched into nearly two hours, a clear sign of the students’ intense interest. “We showcased monitoring methods and gave hands-on demonstrations of how to use camera traps,” Braňo Tám explained. He also addressed questions about telemetry, LECA project activities, and various European lynx protection programs. The session wrapped up with a fun and educational lynx quiz, “What do you know about me?”, putting the young scientists’ newfound knowledge to the test.