Transfer of two Iberian lynx to Madrid Zoo Aquarium

The Government of Andalusia, through the Ministry of Environment and Planning, has today given two copies of Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) Madrid Zoo Aquarium, environmental education purposes.

The Zoo Aquarium in Madrid, having shown interest in having surplus copies of the breeding program in captivity of the Iberian lynx, has received two copies to be exhibited, associating them to an awareness program that helps to publicize the actions protection, conservation and disclosure on the situation and problems of the species.

The Government of Andalusia is integrated in the Breeding Plan to the Iberian lynx, which includes Spain and Portugal, whose objective is to establish a stock of lynxes in captivity with maximum genetic variability available in the wild population and produce suitable animals for reintroduction, with the dual purpose of ensuring the survival of the species while providing suitable animals to bolster wild populations, increasing their genetic viability or recreating extinct populations.

The Breeding Plan in Captivity, which has five breeding centres, four in Spain and one in Portugal, has copies of lynx that are no longer suitable for breeding or can contribute genetically to the breeding program in captivity and cannot be returned the natural environment having spent part of his life or all captive.

These examples, however, can continue to contribute to the protection, conservation and awareness of society, as well as disclosure about the situation and problems of the species, for it began to sell them to zoos and similar parks with a philosophy of working not only as places to observe animals, but as centres where you can learn about different species and thus become places of conservation and preservation of species.

These exemplars began in Andalusia with Zoobotánico of Jerez (Cadiz) to continue the presence of a couple at the Lisbon Zoo and two more copies that were transferred in 2015 to SELWO (Málaga). Currently there are some ongoing requests Cordoba, two zoos of Porto (Portugal) and an environmental park in Andujar (Jaen).

The transferred copies are:
Jazmín: female born in March 2012, son of Adelfa and Esparto.
Kalama: male born in March 2013, son of Fárafra and Galeno.

The two lynxes will be at the Zoo Aquarium of Madrid in a specially designed and prepared for these animals that meet the standards of animal welfare and which are attached to an environmental education program that propagates the Iberian program of conservation and recovery of the species place. Prior to the transfer several visits were made to the Zoo Aquarium of Madrid by the team Conservation Program of the Iberian lynx, in which a detailed inspection was conducted enclosure. Facilities, both exterior and interior, kitchen, facility safety, staff qualifications, veterinary clinic and outreach program, everything is reviewed and adapted as necessary to new tenants.