October 16, 2026 – We have published a short video on habitat connectivity for large carnivores, filmed as part of the 4PETHABECO project. In two and a half minutes we explain why bears, wolves and lynx need uninterrupted space, how transport infrastructure breaks it up, and how we model the corridors animals use.
What the video shows
It starts with territory size: a wolf pack or an adult male bear uses around 300 km² on average. Space like that only works if the habitat stays unbroken, and linear infrastructure, motorways above all, acts as a barrier. The video shows the structures that reduce that barrier effect, from green bridges and viaducts to tunnels and wildlife overpasses and underpasses.
The second half shows our own work: installing and servicing camera traps in the field, footage of a wolf recorded by one of them, and the habitat connectivity models we build in GIS. We build these models by overlaying environmental data with animal presence data. The maps that come out of them show where animals are likely to move and which areas need protection to keep those routes open.
Oikon’s role in the project
We lead work package 3, “Eco-corridors and green infrastructure network”, with the following outputs:
- a technical report with analyses and maps of habitat connectivity for large carnivores
- a manual for spatial planners on planning and building infrastructure
- analyses and recommendations on threats from hunting, deforestation and habitat fragmentation
We also work on involving local communities and stakeholders, among them farmers, livestock breeders and hunters, in experimental coexistence and land management activities, and we contribute to a plan for encouraging dialogue, information and awareness.
About the project
4PETHABECO is a transnational project for protecting and restoring terrestrial habitats and populations of large carnivores, bears, wolves and lynx, by strengthening ecological connectivity through green infrastructure. The partners jointly develop strategies and action plans to protect these habitats and improve the resilience of the populations. The project contributes to the EUSAIR flagship initiative PET HAB ECO, which addresses the resilience of large carnivore populations in human-dominated and fragmented ecosystems, particularly in the context of climate change.
The project is supported by the Interreg IPA ADRION programme, through the European Regional Development Fund and IPA. The total budget is EUR 1,672,774.36, with Interreg funds contributing EUR 1,421,858.19.
Camera and editing: Hrvoje Jurić
More about the project: 4pethabeco.interreg-ipa-adrion.eu