Environment will cede 4,200 red partridges to hunter societies and private reserves under the Life+IBERLINCE program

In Honojos, the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, José Fiscal witnessed the transfer of several hundred red partridges to the local Hunters Society, within the framework of the Life+IBERLINCE program, the Recovery of the Historic Distribution of the Lynx in Spain and Portugal.

This measure comes as a response to agreements developed with hunter societies and private reserves in the Huelva, Seville and Jaén provinces. The Local Government will cede a total of 4,200 specimens from the Red Partridge Reference Station of Andújar. This species plays a very important role in the endangered fauna conservation programs, and its production is destined to repopulating farms which have agreements with said programs.

The minister explained that, "although the lynx feeds primarily on rabbits, it is important to increase the availability of food on agreed farms and public mounts in which the presence of the Iberian lynx has been observed." Fiscal stressed how essential the role of farm owners and game hunters is for the conservation of this feline, as has been evident in recent years with the signing of 200 collaboration agreements on an area covering 400,000 hectares throughout the Iberian Peninsula. "Protecting the lynx not only prevents its extinction, but also reserves the Mediterranean forest and generates positive economic and social impact," he stated.

Reproductive Campaign and the 2017 Census Preliminary Data

During this event, the chairman for the Environment provided the first figures of the 2017 census, tentative information indicating that it has been a good year for the lynx. It is known that at least 35 females have reproduced, with 78 pups born in freedom. Per area, in Doñana, 11 breeding females with a minimum of 20 pups were detected. In Sierra Morena Oriental, which includes the lynx population of Guadalmellato-Cardeña y Montoro-Andújar-Guarrizas, 24 females have given birth to at least 58 cubs. Fiscal pointed out that this year produced an atypical event in the species, inasmuch as litters of five puppies have emerged.

This information is obtained through camera trap technology as well as direct sighting of the litters during routine monitoring of populations by specialists. These figures are preliminary because the campaign normally extends from spring to fall, therefore new litters may still appear. It’s worth remembering that, in 2016, 102 pups were censused.