This is the moment a wild lynx curiously stares at a motorist in a rare close encounter in a snowy forest.

The footage was filmed in the mountainous region of Gorski Kotar, in Croatia, and was shared publicly by Croatian Forests on 28th January.

Croatian Forests said the animal was filmed by one of their colleagues and confirmed the animal is a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), a strictly protected species in Croatia.

In a statement accompanying the video, the organisation wrote: “This beautiful lynx was filmed by our colleague. Sometimes it’s hard, but it is still a privilege to work in nature.”

The lynx was filmed from inside a car, which the animal watched intently as it remained calm and relaxed in the snow.

The video shows the lynx standing still in the forest, observing the vehicle without signs of agitation while surrounded by snow-covered ground and trees.

According to official estimates by conservation authorities, between 60 and 100 adult lynx live in Croatia.

The species has previously faced severe decline due to inbreeding and poaching, leading to the LIFE Lynx conservation programme, which involved relocating lynx from Slovakia and Romania to improve genetic diversity.

Footage shows lynx wandering in the forest near Vrbovsko, Croatia on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.(Clipzilla)

Another lynx was also previously filmed in the forests near Vrbovsko and inside Northern Velebit National Park, in southern Croatia.

The footage was released by park authorities on Wednesday, 21st January, although it was recorded earlier on 17th April, 2023.

Park officials said the lynx is known to inhabit remote, forested areas where it avoids human activity and moves mostly unseen.

Authorities confirmed the lynx remains strictly protected under Croatian law and continues to be monitored through scientific and conservation efforts.

(Aloysius Fernandes /Clipzilla)