The Life Iberlince project releases a male Iberian lynx in the Guarrizas valley reintroduction area (Jaén)

With 'Obulco', there are already three individuals roaming free in the area, this release season

A new male specimen named 'Obulco' was released on Thursday the 22nd at the Pamblanco estate, located in the Navas de Tolosa municipality (Jaén), within the Guarrizas valley reintroduction area. Two female specimens, 'Ofelia' and 'Olavide', were released in this area on February 14th. With 'Obulco', there are already three lynxes roaming free in Guarrizas this season.

It’s interesting to note that 'Obulco', son of 'Estela' and 'Galeno', is a one-year-old male originating from the captive breeding centre of Granadilla (Cáceres). His name, chosen among the proposals sent through social networks during the #BautizaUnLince campaign, refers to the Roman name of the city of Porcuna.

In the Guarrizas reintroduction area, Iberian lynx releases began in 2010. Since then, a total of 48 specimens have been released to the wild, to which this season two females -'Ofelia releases 'and' Olavide'- and a male -'Obulco'- were added.

Along with Guadalmellato valley (Córdoba), this area was chosen for reintroduction due to its habitat quality, high volume of wild rabbit populations and strong social support for reintroduction, including the collaboration of estate owners, private companies and hunting societies that manage lands where the lynx population group is concentrated.

According to the latest population census data (even at 90 per cent of its completion), the Iberian lynx population in this reintroduction area has currently reached 74 specimens, among which 17 territorial females were registered in 2017 – versus 11 in 2016. Specifically, 25 cubs born in the wild were registered this year, more than double than in 2014, with a total of 12.