The Regional Government of Andalusia will facilitate the creation of an Iberian lynx interpretation centre in Andújar

The Minister for the Environment and Territorial Planning, José Fiscal, has signed a collaboration protocol with the Jaén Provincial Council and the Andújar City Council for the conservation and management of the Iberian lynx in the Sierra de Andújar Natural Park. The event was also attended by the president of the Provincial Council, Francisco Reyes, and the local mayor, Francisco Huertas.

Through this agreement, both institutions commit to collaborating in financing these activities with the Ministry for the Environment and Territorial Planning, responsible for the conservation of the species in accordance with their competencies. The first of these actions will materialize through the signing of a specific agreement for the implementation and operation of an Iberian lynx interpretation centre, including an exhibition site, in the area known as the Cercado del Ciprés environmental park.

This protocol seeks to develop future joint actions to raise awareness, fundamentally pertaining to the species’ management, monitoring and conservation tasks, and will be in effect until December 2018. With these activities, it aims not only to consolidate the development and proliferation of Iberian lynx in this territory, but also the creation and growth of resources that guarantee the sustainable tourism exploitation of the Sierra de Andújar Natural Park heritage.

The minister highlighted the role of the Sierra de Andújar and Sierra de Cardeña natural parks, along with Doñana, which were essential to the development of strategies and important reproductive areas from the first moment it was decided to act to prevent the disappearance of the Iberian lynx. Also, Fiscal commented that Sierra de Andújar is one of the emblematic areas in this feline’s preservation efforts, since at that time they preserved most of the species’ genetic variability, for which specimens were captured in order to create the captivity breeding program.

"I will not tire of reiterating that protecting the Iberian lynx not only saves an invaluable species from extinction, but also preserves an entire ecosystem and generates positive economic impact associated with the conservation program," he said. In this respect, Fiscal recalled that the Council is currently leading the European Life+IBERLINCE program, and one of its fundamental objectives is to involve and energize those sectors engaged in one way or another with the future of the species. "Hence our interest in further advancing tasks that promote Iberian lynx values and raise awareness among the general population, farmers, ranchers, hunters, etc.," he explained.

The areas with the largest Iberian lynx population

The protected areas of Andújar and Cardeña are the territories with the largest Iberian lynx population. In this breeding season, the presence of at least 12 females with a minimum of between 25 and 27 cubs have been registered. This data is still preliminary pending the completion of this year's census. In Andalusia, at least 36 females have reproduced, and 80 new cubs born in in the wild were monitored, which further hints at a successful campaign.