Inspiring women in nature conservation

How Ira Topličanec became an internationally acclaimed lynx expert

“There’s something magical about gaining such deep insight into the life of a lynx.”

Have you ever encountered a lynx in the wild by sheer coincidence?

I’ve only been that lucky once. It’s actually nearly impossible to spot a lynx because of their natural camouflage. It happened when I was driving through the mountainous region of Gorski Kotar with my colleague Vedran,after  having checked up on a camera trap, when an animal stepped on the road.  We thought it was a deer at first. We stopped immediately, and I shone a torch at it. The deer turned out to be a lynx! It was just standing there, staring at us, and we stared back. I could just about suppress a cry of joy.

From an outsider’s perspective, you have a dream job. What does your work usually look like? Are you outside all the time having exciting encounters with wildlife?

There are few opportunities to work in wildlife research. When I became part of the “LIFE Lynx” team, a dream came true for me. While there are phases where we are outside all the time collecting data, 90 percent of the job takes place at the office. Thoroughly preparing fieldwork and analysing the data is a must.

What kind of data do you collect about the lynx?

Photos from camera traps, genetic material such as faeces and hair, as well as prey remains that we can match to a specific lynx using data from their collars. I also ask the locals about lynx sightings. This is especially important when visiting new areas.

It almost sounds like you’re a detective putting together the pieces of a puzzle…

Yes, that’s an apt comparison. I can’t say I love office work, but it is satisfying to see results and draw new conclusions from them. This is how you reap the rewards from the exhausting fieldwork.

What makes fieldwork so exhausting?

Fieldwork days are long. You set out early in the morning, return late at night. You drive on bumpy roads, having to clear obstacles or saw off branches to be able to continue. You spend a lot of time in the forest, far away from all civilisation. If you stay out there overnight, you sleep in the car. It is not physically demanding work per se, but it does drain your energy. I personally love spending the whole day outdoors, and I enjoy travelling alone. Once, my car broke down in the middle of the woods. It was stressful, but I made it through on my own. Your survival instincts kick in in these situations (laughs).

Do a lot of women work in your field?

In the case  of the “LIFE Lynx” project, yes. Many women were involved in all areas, including fieldwork, just like our male colleagues.

Sounds like progress in action!

We can call it progress or a kind of trend. Things have changed considerably at the  Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Zagreb. Twenty years ago, veterinary medicine was dominated by men. Nowadays, more and more young women enrol in this course, and 90 percent of the students are female.

You studied veterinary medicine, but didn’t intend to become a traditional vet, right? What was your dream?

I love horses and considered becoming an equine vet. But during my studies, I learned that the Faculty  of Veterinary Medicine works with large carnivores. In Croatia, research on wolves, bears, and lynx is carried out primarily by employees of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which is unusual. When I found out about this, I directed all my focus to gathering knowledge and experience in this area. I wanted to work in wildlife research more than anything else. 

And you succeeded! Did you encounter any obstacles on your journey?

My first position in the “LIFE lynx” project as an assistant involved a lot of fieldwork and admin work. My supervisors encouraged me to focus more on research and so I decided to do a doctorate next to my job. Managing so many different tasks simultaneously was a huge challenge. Moreover, I had studied Veterinary Medicine for six years, but my doctoral thesis was in the field of biology, so I had to catch up on a lot of the basics. I worked many weekends and during my vacations.

Going through with this must have taken a lot of strength. Did you have people who encouraged you?

My mentor Magda Sindičić was a big inspiration. She’s a very intelligent woman with a lot of experience and research knowledge, and she was a fantastic coordinator of the “LIFE Lynx” team in Croatia. Tomislav Gomerčić also provided great support. The two of us caught three lynx in Croatia, then examined them and put telemetry collars on them to track their health and movements in their territories. Among other things, this allows us to gauge threats posed by human disruptions or roads going through lynx territories. These data contribute to planning protection measures in the entire Dinaric region. Tomislav always gave sound advice but gave me space to lead these activities myself. I am grateful for this valuable and encouraging experience.

What were you feeling when you used the blowpipe to stun and examine a lynx for the first time?

A mixture of excitement and respect for the responsibility. You do not want to hurt the animal and you want to do everything properly. I had little experience at the time and was very aware of the risks. But everything went off without a hitch. And getting an opportunity at such deep insight into the life of a lynx – it was one of the more magical moments of my job.

Few people ever get as close to a lynx as you have. What does their fur feel like?

Soft! And nice to touch. Unlike what you might expect from wildlife, lynx don’t reek. It’s so interesting to interact with a wild animal – to examine it, open its mouth, touch its teeth, claws, and paws. But you always need to keep in mind how invasive these interactions are. You must never forget that getting this close to wildlife must never be about being “cool”. You have a great responsibility to make good use of the data you collect.

In your opinion, do the insights you gained justify these interferences?

Yes, absolutely. We have learned a lot about the lynx’s population size and distribution, which is essential information for the national lynx management plan and targeted protection measures. We also gained new insights about the lynx’s behaviour. Most importantly, the data shows that our activities have succeeded in stabilising the lynx population in the Dinaric Mountains. It is no coincidence that the “LIFE Lynx”  project has won two awards, one of them having been granted by the European Commission.

The “LIFE Lynx” project ended in 2024. You emphasised earlier how important it is to put your insights to good use. Where do things go from here?

As a next step, it is crucial for the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development to finally take responsibility. All the activities carried out as part of the “LIFE Lynx” project are technically the government’s job, because the lynx is a strictly protected species. We have prepared a plan for the management of the lynx population, but it hasn’t been put into action yet. Among other things, the monitoring must be continued without interruption. For now, we can identify each lynx by their fur pattern, but with the increasing population, this will become impossible. The longer the monitoring is interrupted, the more effort and expense are needed to resume research. We are trying to bridge this gap, but it is difficult to do so without official national monitoring and public funding. After the immense efforts  we have put into this project, this is vitally important. We have translocated new individuals, and we must know what awaits them. So we regularly check in with the ministry and keep pressuring them about this issue.

I vividly remember the pictures of the male lynx Lubomir, who you have released in the Velebit National Park in Croatia back in 2022. A beautiful individual. Lubo’s journey was a long one: He was translocated from Slovakia to Croatia. How were you feeling when the transport box was opened?

Immensely relieved. You’re dealing with a wild animal that has gone through a long transport. You’re going to be worried if he is okay, no matter what. Lubo’s arrival was delayed due to problems at the border. Having to wait for hours was extremely stressful for all of us. When he arrived safe and sound, we were overjoyed. Lynx are elegant creatures; they radiate vitality. The moment Lubo ran off to freedom was one of pure delight and a due reward for the hard work that led up to it.

Working with large carnivores such as lynx also means working with people, doesn’t it?

Absolutely. You interact constantly – with the media, locals, hunters and rangers who are out in the forest every day. When you show up to do fieldwork and collect data, it is important to share your results afterwards. Some people who initially didn’t want to cooperate changed their minds when they realised that the work yields results.

As a young woman, have you ever had to face prejudice when dealing with hunters and rangers?

It often took some convincing for them to take me seriously and trust me to navigate the forest just as well as a man. Overall, we women have to work harder than men to gain respect and have our competence acknowledged. It might take a while, but eventually it pays off.

In order to motivate other women, what would you write on a canvas in Zagreb ?

Hard work pays off. Find the things that help you through frustrating times and keep an open mind. When one door closes, others will open. Don’t hesitate to try something new, even if it is the harder option. You may realise that what suits you best is different from what you originally thought.

I asked you to bring something with you that means a lot to you. What have you got?

My climbing gear. Climbing connects me with nature and – as paradoxical as it sounds (laughs) – it is grounding. It reminds me to stay focussed and humble.

Ira, thank you so much for this inspiring interview!

Interviewer: Katharina Grund