The Balkan lynx is a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx — imagine it as a very special local variety of cat that has lived in these mountains for so long it has become slightly different from lynxes elsewhere. Scientists estimate that fewer than 50 individuals still exist in the wild, making it one of Europe's most critically endangered animals. That is fewer animals than there are children in many school classes!
Lynxes are built for stealth and silence. Their enormous paws act like snowshoes, spreading their weight so they can walk on deep snow without sinking in. Their hearing is extraordinary — those famous ear tufts actually help funnel sound into their ears, a bit like cupping your hands around your ears to hear better. They can hear a mouse moving under the snow from several metres away.
Conservation teams in North Macedonia and neighbouring Albania work very hard to protect the Balkan lynx. They set up camera traps in the forest to count individuals and track which areas they use. Giving the lynx a name and a face has helped people understand how precious it is. Some camera-trap photos have captured lynx cubs playing together, which shows that the species is slowly recovering.