Tatra National Park Management wardens and zoologists pay careful attention to large predators during their fauna monitoring activities. Detailed records and photo documentation are conducted from direct observation, tracking, identified evidence of their inhabitation and from the remains of prey. The overall results are evaluated after a defined period of time for the entire area of Tatra National Park.

Brown bear – evidence is recorded and monitored during the winter on an annual basis which provides an overview of the number of hibernating individuals. Bear trees and identified bear dens are also recorded on a continual basis. Fur samples are collected from bear trees for DNA analysis and trail cameras are installed on them.

Wolf – snow tracking is used to determine the number of occupied wolf territories, the number of individuals in packs and the number of immature young. Trail cameras are deployed based on wolf prey, regularly used trails and marked locations. Wolf howling is used during night-time monitoring to localise wolf hunting grounds and where they rest and den.

Lynx – tracking and the deployment of trail cameras based on the locations of prey are used to determine the overall population of lynx and the number of males and females with cubs. Images from the trail cameras are reviewed to determine the characteristic striping patterns used to identify individuals and to determine differences while approximating the size of their individual territories.

Brown bears of Slovakia