Iberian-lynx’s conservation: fifteen years off progress

The Iberian-lyns Is one of the 36 feline species alive existing in the whole world, the one that presents a distribution area more restricted and its populations are so scarce that the Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) has included it in the category of “critically endangered” (Red List, UICN, 2002), converting them in one of the most endangered feline species in the world.

The critical situation in which it was required to develop a strong conservation and recovery program could be implemented through joint work on strategies which have involved the governments of Spain and Portugal together with the regional governments of Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla La Mancha and Murcia, based on the different programs coordinated by Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía and, in particular, by the development of three LIFE Naturaleza Projects (LIFE 02NAT/E/008609, LIFE 06NAT/E/000209 and LIFE+10NAT/ES/000570) financed by the European Union.

In 2001 the Consejería de Medio Ambiente launched the Program of Actions for the Iberian-lynx’s Conservation, which was completed in 2002 with the approval of the Life Project “Iberian-lynx’s populations recover in Andalusia". LIFE02NAT/E/8609’ (2002-2006) and represented an important milestone in the conservation of the species. The main aim of these projects was to stabilize the populations of Iberian lynx in Andalusia, ensuring long term of only two extant populations viability and isolated from each other: Doñana and Sierra Morena. In 2006 a new project with a qualitative leap in conservation with the inclusion of two new actions: the reintroduction of lynx in some of its areas of historical distribution within Andalusia and the reinforcement of the population genetic Doñana yield is approved. Both projects received the award "the best of the best" award for the best project executed within the EU.

The current project (LIFE+10NAT/ES/000570), named Life+Iberlince to encompass the entire Iberian Peninsula, intended to give a more ambitious leap in the conservation of the species, by reintroducing in areas of its historic range in Portugal, Extremadura, Castilla La Mancha and Andalusia.

The developed work has allowed to pass in Andalucia from 94 units registered in 2002 to 327 last census of 2014 and the selection and preparation of new lynx areas by rigorous work in potential areas of reintroduction culminated with the first releases in Andalusia 2010, lynxes from the field, in the area of Guadalmellato, thereto proceeded to Guarrizas and all of this formed the basis for the Life+Iberlince project and thus, in the spring of 2014, the first releases of lynx began outside Andalusia with a total of 18 copies.

Three factors have been decisive for the successful reintroduction: The work carried out within the LIFE projects that allowed consolidate existing populations and begin reintroductions, the success of the “ex-situ” conservation program, and social support and direct participation in the conservation through cooperation agreements with landowners and hunting societies.

Lynx releases started in 2007 with the release of Baya , a male from Sierra Morena and freed in Doñana for genetic reinforcement.

From 2011 to wild lynx released bind those born in captivity disengaging from the first lynx breeding centers, after being subjected to a program of preparation for reintroduction into the wild.

Until now 123 Iberian-lynx have been released: 80 in Andalusia, 22 in Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura 12 and 9 in Portugal. The origin of the 122 animals released in recent years is double, 25 are from wild populations of Sierra Morena and Doñana and 98 captive breeding program.

Last April, 10 months after the first Iberian lynx reintroduction in the Valley of Matachel (Badajoz), we are allowed to confirm that one of the females released, has given birth to the first Iberian lynx cubs born in freedom outside Andalusia. This is the future of the species, adaptation and reproduction in the wild. The Iberian-lynx’s return to the territory where it once lived.