The European Commission’s Director General for the Environment visits Doñana

Daniel Calleja reviewed Life Iberlince actions in the area for the conservation of the Iberian lynx, as well as the Las Peñuelas fire restoration project

This morning, Daniel Calleja, the European Commission’s Director General for the Environment, visited the conservation work being done in Doñana pertaining to the Iberian lynx, as well as the restoration project of the Las Peñuelas fire last summer. He was accompanied by Javier Madrid, the Director General for Management of the Environment and Protected Areas of the Regional Government of Andalusia; Susana Benavides, the Deputy Director of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Development and Housing; Isabel Redondo, curator of the Doñana National Park; and Miguel Ángel Simón, director of the Life+Iberlince project.

During the visit, in which a symbolic Green Award was given to the 'Andalusian Lynx Reintroduction' project, the group reviewed the fauna subterranean passage construction works on the A-483 (which links Almonte with El Rocío), as well as actions carried out by the Regional Government of Andalusia during the two previous LIFE projects, which aimed to prevent road collisions with wildlife, including the Iberian lynx, and thus contribute to driver’s safety.

Accompanied by Life+Iberlince project specialists, the group also visited the rabbit repopulation enclosure of the Almonte hunters society (Huelva), where they analysed this animal’s current situation – the Iberian lynx’s primary prey –, which has been mainly affected by viral haemorrhagic disease (EHVb).

After examining the situation of the Iberian lynx population in the Doñana area, following the fire at the end of June, the group toured the fire-affected area, where Calleja was introduced in situ to the Las Peñuelas fire restoration project.