Velebit has been enriched with new red deer; we monitored another section of the mountain, set up new wildlife observation hides, and surpassed the milestone of one thousand children participating in our workshops—2025 was a year of action and progress for Rewilding Velebit. Here are some of the most significant activities carried out this year.
The mighty Velebit is the largest wilderness home in Croatia—an area of immense beauty and biodiversity, but also one of various potentials and opportunities arising from both human influence and natural processes. Through our activities throughout the year, we have helped nature restore at least a small part of its richness and diversity.
Wildlife and Ecosystem Restoration
At the end of the year, over a period of several weeks, we released 30 red deer across four areas managed by our partners: Central Velebit, Marković Rudine, Jelovi Vrh, and Vrebac. This activity serves multiple goals: strengthening the species’ population, expanding the genetic base, influencing trophic chains, and preserving Velebit’s grasslands.
During the autumn, we conducted wildlife monitoring using camera traps deployed over eight weeks in Central Velebit. This provides vital insight into animal abundance and distribution. To date, our multi-year monitoring has covered over 70,000 hectares, providing data essential for conservation efforts and population recovery.
Availability of drinking water is fundamental to wildlife survival, especially as traditional livestock wells fall into disrepair and climate change impacts intensify. Maintaining existing ponds, wells, and springs—and establishing new ones—is a life-critical activity we continued for the eighth consecutive year. New ponds were installed in the Lovinac and Central Velebit areas at strategically selected locations where no other water sources exist.
Safer Roads for Wildlife and People
For two years, we have been installing wildlife reflectors (prisms) on roads across Velebit, Lika, and Podgora. This year, we secured additional sections of the Adriatic Highway. We have protected a total of 19 kilometers of roads so far, reducing traffic accidents involving wildlife and protecting both animal lives and human safety and property.
Since 2022, we have offered wildlife watching hides, giving visitors a unique experience in remote areas of Velebit. Three new hides with increased capacity and improved comfort were installed this year at carefully chosen sites.
Satellite imaging for monitoring seawater quality in Zavratnica and Jablanac
Our partnership with the space-tech company SeaCras brought something entirely new to the foothills of Velebit: a free online tool for daily sea quality monitoring in Zavratnica and Jablanac. The app allows the public to check water purity—perfect for those planning a swim in these beautiful bays. The service remains active even outside the peak tourist season.
After three years of the workshop “When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a Ranger,” we surpassed the milestone of 1,000 participating children. In addition to this program, we premiered a workshop on brown bears at Gospić High School, continued our “Ecological Service of Dead Wood” sessions, and held youth photography workshops.
The song and music video “Rewilding” reached tens of thousands of music and nature lovers, marking our first major public outreach of this kind. The trap-rap trio Kuku$ was deeply inspired by their first visit to Velebit while writing the track. This year, the song had its live premiere at the band’s Zagreb concert.
Community Engagement and Exhibitions
Hunting culture is prominent in Lika, and we actively encourage hunters to transition to lead-free ammunition. Since lead is harmful to scavengers, hunting dogs, humans, and the environment, we hold testing workshops. After three years, we are seeing a shift: hunters are becoming more open to alternatives and are recognizing the toxicity of lead.
Finally, our traveling photography exhibition of Velebit’s wilderness visited Rijeka and Knin this year. In Rijeka’s great Exportdrvo space, we showcased the flora, fauna, and landscapes of Velebit through the lenses of experienced photographers and biologists. In Knin, the exhibition became part of the Advent tourist offer, creating a new link between Gospić and Knin—two cities connected by Croatia’s largest and highest mountains, Velebit and Dinara, and also by their status of urban centers within depopulated rural areas.
Text: Kruno Bošnjaković