Local foresters celebrate spotting a lynx in northwestern Poland

"A few times we've received information from mushroom pickers and animal hunters that they either saw the lynx itself, or its tracks, but now for the first time his presence has been recorded," said Kasia Klimek from Szczecinek Forest Inspectorate.

The foresters proudly present a video showing the lynx passing in front of a car on a forest path near Iwin village. The footage also shows that the animal has a collar on its neck, fitted with GPS tracker.

It's been a long time since the last time when a specimen of this species was seen in the area. "We feel it calls for celebration. Especially because this predator plays a very important role in our ecosystem. It helps to control the population of ungulates, such as deer," Klimek added.

For the forestry, it not only means a better-balanced ecosystem, but also savings. So far, the foresters are forced to spend money on protecting trees from species which are prey for lynxes and wolves. The latter have been living in the local forests for years now, and now the Szczecinek Forestry Inspectorate hope that lynxes will find home in the region.

"Reintroduction of this species has been launched in Mirosławiec (approx. 70 kilometres from Szczecinek), so we've expected that sooner or later lynx would come here. This specimen is most likely passing through, but soon enough another one will settle in our forests," Klimek said.