Why should the iberian lynx be saved

Whenever the rabbit population has grown significantly, another virus strain strikes back, reducing the number of prey animals for the cats. The first lynx from the captive breeding project were reintroduced into a new area in Andalusia in Officials release captive-bred lynx in areas of appropriate habitat, rabbit abundance, and acceptance by the local human population.

By , the population in the wild was estimated to be cats. In the Iberian lynx was officially downgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered. Although the species may not be completely secure yet, it has undoubtedly been brought back from almost certain extinction.

Further action is still needed to save the Iberian lynx such as continuous effort to stimulate rabbit recovery, enhance habitat quality and connectivity, combat threats, and the restocking and release of lynx in new areas to connect populations.

There is a need to implement recovery plans in all regions where the lynx once occurred over the past decades and to continue to carefully monitor the Iberian lynx as well as the conservation measures that are in place.

Compare this cat to the wide-ranging European Lynx. Between […]. Between and , its population increased from about to lynx, due to conservation initiatives such as translocation and reintroduction. Most of the studies on […]. How many Iberian Lynx are left now?

I am a teacher of Global Citizenship in Green Brook, New Jersey, and my 8th graders finish their program with a large research project and presentation. Each student in the program chooses their own topic and does their own research. One of my students was inspired by your work and chose to study the Iberian Lynx. She would be delighted to hear from you. Is there an easy way for her to send the presentation to you via a.

Thank you! We would love to have a look at her presentation. Can you email us at smallwildcats gmail. Unless you live in Spain, there is actually nothing you can do to help Iberian Lynx. The in-situ breeding program has many sponsors, and the challenge now is to save their habitat, ensure they have enough prey, and prevent road kills. I need to know the Iberian Lynx adaptations, for a project.

In I was in Patagonia, and While on a tour, observed a cashed up woman wearing an unusual fur coat. A Spanish woman told me this could not be possible because they are on the endangered list, but a good fur coat can last for a long time. Could I have been correct in my identification? It was more likely the pelt of a Eurasian lynx. There has never been enough Iberian lynx to supply any kind of fur trade, legal or illegal. The Eurasian species is still legally taken for the fur trade in many countries.

Their pelage does vary in colour and some of them do resemble Iberian lynx. Watched Portuguese documentary on the dwindling rabbit supply in the Wild and the Answer is. Australian rabbits are original Spanish stock taken to England by the Romans they thrive in our Dry climate and have survived all attempts at eradication where the Portuguese Rabbit has not. The lynx's recovery is one of a series of good news stories from Europe that are bucking gloomy global wildlife trends. After years of decline, brown bears, wolves, wolverine and bison are bouncing back, thanks to continent-wide conservation policies.

In Portugal, front-page headlines have tracked the progress of released animals. The post office issued special stamps last month to celebrate the re-introduction of the species. Spanish conservationists have adopted the lynx as a symbol of efforts to preserve the country's wildlife.

Funding for the breeding program has been maintained despite the severe budget cuts introduced by both countries in response to Europe's economic crisis. The handsome creature is unique to Spain and Portugal.

It sports a distinctive orange-brown spotted coat, and is smaller and sleeker than its cousins, the Canada lynx and the Eurasian lynx — another endangered species native to northern Europe and Siberia.

A female named Kayakweru by the team that raised her in Silves was found dead in April, less than three months after being released into the wild. Portuguese police are investigating the origin of the poison that killed her. Despite these signs of hope, crucial challenges remain unsolved, and the species future is still fragile. What are the main threats?

The Iberian lynx has been brought to the brink of extinction because of a combination of threats: Decreasing food base Rabbits form the main prey of the Iberian lynx. Epidemics, such as myxamatosis and the haemorrhagic disease, have affected rabbit populations over the years, which has in turn affected the Iberian lynx population.

WWF is calling the spanish authorities to escalate efforts to recover rabbit populations. Car hits The construction of high speed roads and highways, splitting up the Lynx habitat, is another of the main threats for this wild cat.

A very high number, given the small population of the species. After a WWF campaign, the spanish national and regional authorities are starting to take preventive measures on the roads.

Habitat loss and degradation Infrastructures like roads, dams, railways and other human activities contribute to the loss and fragmentation of the Iberian lynx distribution area, creating barriers between the different populations. The expanding road network has also led to more fatalities on the roads.

Illegal Hunting Ironically, in the past the species was regarded both as an attractive hunting trophy and as a vermin. Hunters prized its valuable fur and its meat, and although some landowners appreciate its tendency to keep fox and rabbit numbers down, most perceive it as a threat to their game populations. The Iberian lynx was legally protected against hunting from the early s, but they are still the victims of guns, traps and snares, particularly those set for other animals.

And, if so, could a captive-bred lynx survive in the wild? In hindsight, biologists had little to fear. Though the captive lynx are divided across these five areas, scientists consider them a single population and have carefully distributed the animals to ensure maximum genetic diversity. An even distribution across the centers gives us a greater guarantee that if something goes wrong in one facility, the impact for the species is minimized.

As the lynx were progressively released into the wild, conservationists witnessed higher survival rates than expected—close to 70 percent during the first year—surpassing the estimates made on paper a decade ago by about 20 percent.