The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus, belonging to the Felidae family) is the feline that is classified as the most threatened on the planet It is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, where its populations were on the brink of extinction. Currently, its threat category has been lowered from “Critically Endangered” to “Endangered”, which continues to cause some concern, since its populations are not fully recovered and it is only possible to see it in a few places in its area. of distribution. It is a species that is very sensitive to the transformation of its environment and, in turn, very specific in terms of its diet, since it strictly depends on the wild rabbit.
If you want to know if the Iberian lynx is in danger of extinction, why and what recovery plans exist, continue reading this article of our site and we will tell you all about it.
Characteristics of the Iberian lynx
The Iberian lynx is a very unique species due to its appearance, which has characteristics that make it a very charismatic animal:
- It is a slender feline, with long legs in relation to its length, which is from about 80 to more than 100 cm.
- It has a Tawny coat of brown colors with spots that vary in each individual and that allows it to blend perfectly in the bushes. In addition, it has different layers depending on the length of the hair (fine, intermediate and thick mesh).
- Its head is small and is characterized by having a kind of beard, which is longer in males and appears with age.
- Its ears are elongated and triangular, ending in tips with hairs, which are longer in females.
- His tail is striking, since it is quite short and ends in a tassel of black fur, which it holds upright in moments of alert.
- Its legs are robust and have four toes with retractable claws that allow it to hold onto its prey.
- It does not adapt to environments other than its own, which is why its survival is more complicated.
- As for its diet, the Iberian lynx's favorite prey is the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), so it depends strictly on the biology of this species to survive.
- It is a territorial and solitary species, which gathers with other individuals only during the reproductive season.
- Adults defend a territory of about 4 km2 using olfactory markings to deter other individuals of the same sex.
Where does the Iberian lynx live?
As we mentioned, the Iberian lynx is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, that is, it only exists there. However, its area has been reduced by 99% in the last 50 years, since it went from occupying some 58,000 km2 in the decade of the 50s, to occupying nearly 350 km2 in 2000. In the decade of the 90, its territory covered only 50 areas, which in turn were divided into 10 subpopulations, where around 1,000 individuals lived. Currently, its geographical limits and the size of its populations are not known exactly, but in 2017 around 500 lynx were estimated, while at the end of 2019 there were more than 800 distributed in populations present in areas of Extremadura, Andalusia (with the largest number of individuals), Castilla-La Mancha and in some areas of Portugal.
Its typical environment is the well-preserved Mediterranean scrub, since it is here where it hunts its prey (rabbit) and where he finds caves which he uses as lairs. In general, it avoids open areas, cultivated or forest areas, except when it is in the breeding season, which can occupy these habitats. In addition, it also decreases the probability of its presence in highway areas and in urban areas.
Why is the Iberian lynx in danger of extinction?
The Iberian lynx is one of the most endangered animals in Spain. There are various causes that have caused the decline in the Iberian lynx population and that have led this species to be currently under the category of "endangered", according to the IUCN[1] Next, we will tell you about the most relevant ones:
- Destruction and modification of its habitat: in the last 50 years, the decline in Iberian lynx populations was linked to changes in the landscape, the transformation of scrub areas into agricultural and forestry areas, which caused the loss of the habitat of this species, as well as profound changes in the structure of the environment.
- Fragmentation of its habitat: the lynx needs spaces that are increasingly isolated from each other, since the fragmentation of the Mediterranean scrub it decreases the chance that large, viable populations will exist. In addition, the loss of their environments favors the mortality of young lynxes when they move to other areas.
- Decrease in its key prey: this animal is strictly dependent on the rabbit, and one of the main reasons why the Iberian lynx is in danger of extinction is, precisely, the disappearance of the rabbit in areas where it formerly lived, also produced by the destruction and transformation of these areas. The lynx is an excellent hunter, like all cats, and it has been observed that they can hunt larger prey such as roe deer, however, it is a specialist when it comes to catching wild rabbits, a species that makes up its diet in about 90% and there is no scientific evidence that points to other prey that replace rabbits when they are scarce. It should also be noted that the rabbit is a key part of the food chain of the Mediterranean scrublands, since some 40 species of animals feed on this animal, and in recent decades several diseases have led to a decline in wild rabbit populations. dangerously.
- Poaching and illegal trapping: Unfortunately, hunting this species is the main cause of death in young lynx during their dispersal, that is, when they are separated from their mother and siblings.
- Road accidents: they also make up another cause that compromises the future of the lynx and that has become more abundant in recent years.
With all this information on the Iberian lynx in danger of extinction, let's see below what plans exist for its salvation.
Conservation of the Iberian lynx
Now that you know why the Iberian lynx is in danger of extinction, it is essential to ask yourself: "what is being done to save this species". Following the near disappearance of the species, measures have been taken in recent decades to protect and conserve the Iberian lynx, and some of them are:
- Planes for its conservation: the Iberian lynx is a threatened species in Spain and extinct in Portugal. It is a species whose protection is very strong in Europe thanks to the Bern Convention, and it is listed as an endangered species in the International Convention on Trade in Wild Species of Endangered Fauna and Flora (CITES). For all these reasons, there are various projects that contemplate its conservation, such as the LIFE projects.
- Captive breeding: there are ex situ conservation programs that aim to conserve the species outside its natural space, mainly with the aim of to be able to maintain a he althy and viable genetic population in captivity.
- Reintroduction of the species: aims to be able to release captive-bred individuals in order to strengthen wild lynx populations and thus way they are genetically viable when there is variability.
- Prey recovery plans main: there are also plans to recover the wild rabbit and thus save this species in these areas such as maintaining the food chain and supplying food to the Iberian lynx and other species.
- Creation of green corridors so that the lynxes (and the rest of the fauna) can move more safely and avoid future run overs.
- Promote research of this species and develop more programs to protect natural spaces.
Now then, if you are wondering how you can help prevent the Iberian lynx from becoming endangered, we recommend that you consult all the details of the conservation plans for the species to see if it is possible to carry out a volunteer. Likewise, daily actions such as recycling correctly and consuming sustainable products also help this and other threatened animals. See this other article for more information: "How to protect endangered animals?".
