“From Endangered to Vulnerable: The Remarkable Recovery of the Iberian Lynx”
An Iberian lynx wearing a tracking device was recently released into the Spanish Sierra Arana wilderness as part of a repopulation project in Granada, Spain on Dec. 19, 2022. This initiative is part of a larger effort to save the Iberian lynx species, which has seen a remarkable recovery in recent years.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has changed the listing for the Iberian lynx species, also known as Lynx pardinus, from Endangered to Vulnerable in the organization’s Red List. This change comes after more than 20 years of dedicated conservation efforts to save the species, which was once on the brink of extinction.
Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, coordinator of the LIFE Lynx-Connect project, described the population rebound as “The greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation.” This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of conservationists who have worked tirelessly to protect the Iberian lynx.
The Iberian lynx was facing threats from human activity, habitat loss, and declines in its prey, European rabbits. By 2001, there were only 62 mature individuals left in the wild, prompting urgent conservation action. Conservationists focused on improving the species’ habitat, restoring Mediterranean scrub and forest areas, and boosting European rabbit populations in the lynx’s range.
Through breeding programs and translocations, scientists were able to improve genetic diversity within the species. More than 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced in Portugal and Spain as part of these efforts, leading to a significant increase in the population.
Today, there are more than 2,000 mature Iberian lynx individuals, spanning a habitat range of around 3,320 square kilometers. While this is a remarkable recovery, the species is still classified as Largely Depleted, meaning ongoing conservation actions and protections are necessary to ensure its survival.
Sarah Durant, a professor at the Zoological Society of London’s Institute of Zoology, emphasized the importance of continued conservation efforts to protect the Iberian lynx and other threatened species. With dedicated action, the IUCN believes that the species could fully recover in the next 100 years.
IUCN will publish a comprehensive Red List update for this year on June 27, providing further insights into the status of the Iberian lynx and other endangered species. This success story serves as a reminder of the impact of conservation efforts and the importance of protecting our planet’s biodiversity.