Code and data for: Shining a light on elusive lynx: density estimation of three Eurasian lynx populations in Ukraine and Belarus

The Eurasian lynx is a large carnivore widely distributed across Eurasia.
However, our understanding of population status is heterogeneous across
their range, with some populations isolated that are at risk of reduced
genetic variation and a complete lack of information about others. In many
European countries, Eurasian lynx are monitored through demographic
studies crucial for their conservation and management. Even so, there are
only rough and fragmented population assessments from Ukraine and Belarus,
despite strict protection in both countries and their importance for lynx
connectivity across Europe. We monitored lynx from October 2020 to March
2021 and used camera-trapping in combination with spatial
capture-recapture (SCR) methods in a Bayesian Framework to provide the
first SCR density estimation of three lynx populations across Ukraine and
Belarus, including the Ukrainian Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Southern
Belarus, and the Ukrainian Carpathians. Our density estimates varied
within our study areas ranging from 0.45 to 1.54 individuals/100
km2. This work provides a substantial scientific component to the
overall understanding of lynx conservation for a region where only broad
information is available and opens the doors for further large-scale
monitoring and trend assessments. The crucial information we provide can
greatly enhance the range-wide assessments of the status of this protected
species. We also discuss the implications for Eurasian lynx conservation,
despite the geopolitical realities impacting species monitoring in the
region. Our work serves as a baseline, not only for future conservation
interventions but also to evaluate the effects of disturbance and threats
to these protected populations.