A total of 40 Iberian lynx specimens will be released in the reintroduction zones of the Iberian Peninsula during 2017

The follow-up commission of the Life + IBERLINCE project agreed at its last meeting - held in Seville on 15 November - the release of 40 Iberian lynxes, male and female, in the reintroduction zones of the Iberian Peninsula in 2017 with the objective of strengthening the population in these areas.

There will be eight specimens that 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; Guadalmellato, Córdoba and Guarrizas, Jaén. The distribution has been enhanced by sending more specimens to the new reintroduction areas and releasing only four specimens in the valley of Guadalmellato (Córdoba) and four others in the Guarrizas valley (Jaén), since the production of captive pups has not been Sufficient to distribute the same number in all areas.
Among the 40 specimens that will be released throughout the Iberian Peninsula, 22 females and 18 males, is 'Nitrogen', a male cub, son of 'Hydrogen', that will go to the Matachel Valley, 'Water Lily', a female specimen that Was released in the Montes de Toledo, or Noa, a young female who will be released in Guadalmellato.

Both the names of these three specimens mentioned and those of the other lynx pups that will be released in the next year were chosen in each of the reintroduction areas, through school competitions, citizen proposals or by the teams working in the Conservation of the species, with the purpose of involving the citizens in this project of conservation and reintroduction of the cat.

The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Development has announced this morning at the school of Mazaramboz (Toledo) the names of eight Iberian lynx cubs that will be released in the Montes de Toledo, and in whose election, they have participated the school's students.

Since 2009, when the first reintroductions began in Andalusia (in the valleys of Guarrizas and Guadalmellato) a total of 176 specimens have been released. To achieve these results, which suggest that the Iberian lynx is timidly returning to occupy its historical distribution area, support from owners of farms, managers, hunters, game reserves and the population in general has been fundamental.

The European Life + IBERLINCE project, led by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Regional Government of Andalusia, counts among its partners with the National Parks Agency, Ministry of Development of Spain, the Ministry of the Environment of Portugal and the Autonomous Governments of Andalusia, Castilla La Mancha, Murcia and Extremadura, Infraestructuras de Portugal SA, Development Company and Infraestructuras do Alqueva, SA And the Municipal Chamber of Moura, as well as companies (Fomecam, Agroforex, Acajú), associations and non-governmental organizations (Andalusian Hunting Federation, Aproca, SECEM, Adenex, WWF-Spain, CBD-Hábitat Foundation, Iberlinx Association).