Connecting Mountains, Connecting People: A New Chapter for Balkan Chamois Conservation

From 25 to 27 June 2026, more than 70 scientists, conservation practitioners, protected area managers, and representatives of environmental organisations from across the Balkans met in Konitsa, Greece, for the 1st International Balkan Chamois Conference. Laying the foundations for stronger regional cooperation in conserving one of Europe’s most emblematic mountain species.

For three days, Konitsa became the meeting point for scientists who rarely sit around the same table. Researchers who study the species in different mountain ranges compared experiences, debated challenges and explored how conservation efforts can become better connected across the Balkans.

What does it take to protect a species that knows no national borders?

For the Balkan chamois, one of Southeastern Europe’s most iconic mountain mammals, the answer begins with cooperation

Endorsed by the IUCN Caprinae Specialist Group, the Conference marked the first international forum dedicated exclusively to the conservation of the Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), creating a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge, strengthen partnerships and build a shared vision for safeguarding the ecological connectivity that keeps Balkan chamois populations healthy and resilient across the mountain ranges of Southeastern Europe.

The Conference, funded by the Hellenic Green Fund, was organised as part of the CHAMOIS II: Enhancing Connectivity for the Balkan Chamois in Northwestern Greece, supported by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) and the A. G. Leventis Foundation. Implemented by Pindos Perivallontiki, in collaboration with the Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory (University of Ioannina), the Balkan Chamois Society and the Hellenic Mountain Observatory. The project aims to improve the long-term conservation of Balkan chamois populations and strengthen ecological connectivity in northwestern Greece while promoting cooperation across national borders.

A species that connects the Balkans

The Balkan chamois inhabits some of the most rugged mountain landscapes of Southeastern Europe. Its populations are distributed across several countries, making international cooperation essential for its conservation. While each country has developed its own approaches to monitoring and management, many of the challenges facing the species—habitat fragmentation, human disturbance, disease transmission, and climate-related pressures—are shared across borders.

Unlike political borders, mountain ecosystems are naturally connected. Balkan chamois move across mountain ridges and valleys that often extend between neighbouring countries. Maintaining these ecological corridors is essential to allow populations to disperse, exchange genetic material and adapt to environmental change. When these natural connections are disrupted by infrastructure development, habitat fragmentation or other human pressures, isolated populations become increasingly vulnerable.

For the first time, experts from Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria and Croatia, together with internationally recognised researchers from Italy and Spain, came together to discuss these common challenges and explore opportunities for closer collaboration.

Beyond presenting scientific research, the Conference created a valuable platform for building professional networks and strengthening relationships among researchers, conservation organisations and protected area managers working towards a common goal: safeguarding the Balkan chamois and the mountain ecosystems on which it depends.

From scientific knowledge to conservation action

Over two days, participants shared the latest research and practical experience on the conservation of the Balkan chamois. The programme covered a wide range of topics, including:

• the status and trends of Balkan chamois populations;
• habitat connectivity and ecological corridors;
• genetic diversity;
• wildlife diseases and veterinary management;
• habitat restoration and species recovery;
• human impacts on mountain ecosystems;
• citizen science, environmental education and sustainable ecotourism.

A recurring theme throughout the discussions was that science alone is not enough. Effective conservation depends on translating scientific knowledge into coordinated management actions, informed policies and long-term collaboration among neighbouring countries. Several presentations also highlighted encouraging examples of successful conservation initiatives already being implemented across the Balkans, demonstrating that cooperation can deliver tangible results for biodiversity.

The Conference concluded with a scientific field excursion to the eastern slopes of Mount Tymfi, within the Vikos–Aoos UNESCO Global Geopark, allowing participants to explore the natural habitat of the Balkan chamois and observe the species in its natural environment.

The mountains of Northern Pindos are home to approximately 800 Balkan chamois individuals, representing nearly one-third of the Greece’s population. Steep limestone cliffs, deep gorges and alpine grasslands create ideal habitat for the species while illustrating the close relationship between geological heritage and biodiversity. Visiting these habitats together provided participants with a common reference point for discussing conservation challenges, ecological connectivity and habitat management in the field, complementing the scientific sessions held during the Conference.

Looking beyond the Conference, a shared commitment to mountain biodiversity

The 1st International Balkan Chamois Conference was conceived not as a one-off event, but as the beginning of a stronger regional conservation network in cooperation with the IUCN Caprinae Specialist Group.

One of the strongest outcomes of the Conference was the shared recognition that conserving ecological corridors should become a common priority for Balkan countries. While each country manages its own protected areas, maintaining connectivity requires continued scientific exchange and coordinated conservation action across borders. The new bonds formed in Konitsa will spark future collaborations, joint research initiatives and shared conservation strategies.

Several important scientific questions also emerged during the discussions, highlighting the need for further research on population dynamics, habitat connectivity, disease ecology and the impacts of human activities across the species’ range. The success of the first International Balkan Chamois Conference demonstrates the value of bringing people together around a shared conservation goal.

Through the CHAMOIS II project, this initiative has strengthened regional dialogue, fostered new partnerships and created momentum for future collaboration across the Balkans. The conversations that began in Konitsa are only the first step towards a more connected future—for the Balkan chamois and for the people working to protect it.

BOX 1 | Why ecological connectivity matters

One of the strongest messages emerging from the Conference was that conserving the Balkan chamois is about more than protecting individual populations. It is about keeping populations connected through mountain landscapes.

Ecological corridors allow chamois to move between habitats, exchange genetic material and adapt to environmental change. Yet these natural pathways are increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation and human pressures.

Through the CHAMOIS II project, supported by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT), partners are identifying and promoting the conservation of these critical corridors in northwestern Greece while contributing to a broader regional dialogue on connectivity across the Balkans.

The CHAMOIS II project is part of PONT Connect which is funded by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation and FFEM.

By: “Pindos Perivallontiki”