The Life+IBERLINCE project commission proposes to release 40 lynx examples in reintroduction zones of the Iberian Peninsula in 2017

The monitoring committee of the project Life+IBERLINCE has agreed today at the meeting in Sevilla to propose the release during 2017 of a total of 40 Iberian lynx, male and female, to reinforce the population of this species reintroduction in the Iberian Peninsula’s zone. In particular, 8 examples will be released in each of the reintroduction areas located in Portugal (Vale do Guadiana, Mértola) and Spain (Matachel Valley, Badajoz, Montes de Toledo, Toledo, Sierra Morena Oriental, Ciudad Real and Guadalmellato, Cordoba and Guarrizas, Jaén).

During the meeting, the state of implementation of the project has also been analyzed and the evolution of the released lynx has been shared. It is noteworthy that the success of the releases carried out has allowed to consolidate the populations of this feline in Andalusia, as well as increase the hopes to achieve the objectives with which this project was born.

Since 2009, when the reintroduction began, the first within Andalusia (in Guarrizas and Guadalmellato), it have been released a total of 176 copies. The social support of the owners of farms, managers, hunters, hunting grounds and population in general has been fundamental for these results to be reached, suggesting that the Iberian lynx is returning timidly to occupy its historical distribution area.

In the course of the meeting the protocols of actions included in the Iberlince Manual have been delivered to all partners: the Iberian Lynx Liberation Protocol, Sanitary Control Protocol, Improvement Actions in Reintroduction Areas and Sanitary Control , Which can be consulted on the Life+IBERLINCE website: www.iberlince.eu.

Among the partners of the European Life+IBERLINCE Project, led by the Ministry of Environment and Land Planning, are the Autonomous Organism of National Parks, Ministry of Development of Spain, Ministry of Environment of Portugal, Regional Governments Andalusia, Castilla La Mancha, Murcia and Extremadura, Infraestruturas de Portugal SA, Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestruturas do Alqueva, SA and Moura Municipal Council, as well as companies (Fomecam, Agroforex, Acajú), associations and non-governmental organizations (Andalusian Hunting Federation, Aproca, SECEM, Adenex, WWF Spain, CBD-Habitat Foundation, Iberlynx Association).