First two thousand hectares for Iberian Lynx in Portugal

The Secretary of State for the Regional Planning and Nature Conservation presided over the signature, in Mértola, of the first contracts between the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forest (ICNF) and the landowners, for the reintroduction of Iberian Lynx in Portugal.

The signed contracts provide two thousand hectares of lands that shall be the Iberian Lynx natural habitat, allowing that way the specie release on national territory. Therefore, Miguel de Castro Neto considers this is “a decisive step for the project, beginning the geographic definition, in close cooperation with the landowners and managers, of the Iberian Lynx reintroduction place”.

The landowners are available to promote the specie on their own lands, which corresponds to lynx natural habitat, and may see their lands gain a bigger economical value, because of the interest that one of the world most endangered big cat will rise on Tourism of Nature, as was the case for Spain.

The effort on Iberian Lynx preservation was noted on the Nation Pact for Iberian Lynx Conservation, that was subscribed by the municipalities of Penamacor, Moura, Beja and Silves, by hunting associations, among others public authorities and from civil society.

Has been approved by the Secretary of State Miguel de Castro Neto, the project SOS Wild Rabbit. Financed by the Nature Conservation Fund, on 180 thousand Euros, the project aims to develop strategies to stabilize the population of the primary prey of Iberian Lynx.