On Wednesday, 15 October, Prof. Dr. Boštjan Pokorny, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Protection, delivered a lecture titled “Research on the Northern (Alpine) Chamois in Slovenia and Europe: The Influence of Environmental Factors and Interspecies Relationships” at the Triglavska roža Information Centre in Bled.
In his lecture, Prof. Pokorny presented a broader European perspective on the status and trends of the northern chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), with a particular focus on the Alpine subspecies (R. r. rupicapra). He discussed various factors—such as environmental changes and interspecies interactions—that affect the vitality of populations and shape different trends observed between high-mountain and foothill habitats, including those in Slovenia.
In addition to highlighting interesting findings from international research, the lecture focused primarily on the latest results from Slovenian studies, which in recent years have examined the chamois population in areas such as the Julian Alps and the Triglav National Park. Among other topics, Prof. Pokorny discussed population dynamics, genetic characteristics of northern chamois in Slovenia and the Balkans, the species’ role in the diet of large carnivores, changes in body mass as an indicator of population condition, and spatial variation in horn size across Slovenia.
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The lecture was part of a series of October meetings, where researchers from various institutions and independent experts presented their most recent findings related to studies conducted in the Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve. Full lecture programme: https://shorturl.at/p4T8z |