10 years ago the Iberian Lynx was nearly extinct with numbers thought to have dropped below 100 due to habit loss, prey loss and disease but due to a large conservation effort in Spain they have managed to gradually increase numbers and bring the species back from the brink of extinction. Numbers are now thought to be at 327 individuals roaming around southern Spain and some parts of Portugal.
Source
Saving the species though hasn't been easy. A lot of the success has been from captive breeding programs where kittens are taught to hunt so they can be re-released. These reintroduction programs were crucial for the population to bounce back.
Source
The success of the program has been noted by everyone included the IUCN Red List who have reduced the Iberian Lynx from critically endangered to just endangered.
Source
Sadly though 22 lynxes have been hit by vehicles in the past year, a huge dent in their population numbers and another problem that may start to occur as numbers increase is the lack of food. Iberian Lynxes are specialised rabbit hunters and rabbits are heavily hunted out in Spain. The rabbits in southern Europe have also been hit since 2011 by the rabbit haemorrhagic virus which not only kills rabbits but also affects the lynxes reproductive rate. This is worrying as it can dramatically effect the small population of lynxes present.
For now though, we can celebrate the success of the conservation teams out in Spain and Portugal in saving this beautiful cat and only hope that we can protect them enough for their numbers to carry on increasing.
Find out more here and here
Love
The success of the program has been noted by everyone included the IUCN Red List who have reduced the Iberian Lynx from critically endangered to just endangered.
Sadly though 22 lynxes have been hit by vehicles in the past year, a huge dent in their population numbers and another problem that may start to occur as numbers increase is the lack of food. Iberian Lynxes are specialised rabbit hunters and rabbits are heavily hunted out in Spain. The rabbits in southern Europe have also been hit since 2011 by the rabbit haemorrhagic virus which not only kills rabbits but also affects the lynxes reproductive rate. This is worrying as it can dramatically effect the small population of lynxes present.
For now though, we can celebrate the success of the conservation teams out in Spain and Portugal in saving this beautiful cat and only hope that we can protect them enough for their numbers to carry on increasing.
Find out more here and here
Love
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