Velka Fatra National Park, Slovakia

A few shots from Velka Fatra National Park, Slovakia, where I’ve spent the last few days with Biosphere Expeditions, monitoring wolf, lynx and wildcat populations in the national park. The temperature dropped to around -20 degrees C when we started following a trail up the western side of the valley this morning (moderating to ‘only’ -12 by the afternoon), and the snow was soon about 1.10m deep making for slow going even with snowshoes.

Fox tracks

Icicles

Bear tracks – very unusual and quite unexpected at this time of year, since they should be hibernating

Sunshine on a trail up one side of the valley

An area dug out by a bear

Down through the trees

Wildlife photographer and filmmaker Tomas Hulik replacing a camera trap.

Lynx tracks discovered late in the afternoon, as the light begins to fade

Lynx paw print at dusk
Photos © Rudolf Abraham. No unauthorized use.