The Iberian Lynx in danger of extinction, is one of the most threatened felines in the animal world due to the fact that only a few specimens survive in Andalusia, circumscribed exclusively to the area of the Doñana National Park, the Sierra de Cazorla and the Sierra de Andújar, as well as in the Montes de Toledo of Castilla la Mancha. If you want to know more, we invite you to continue reading.
The Iberian lynx
This species is considered an endangered species since 1986, being declared the IUCN Monitoring Center. Likewise, Spain was declared an endangered species on April 5, 1990, along with another feline that is also in danger of extinction, the snow leopard, which unfortunately seems to suffer the same fate as the Lynx. Iberian.
How is the Iberian Lynx?
The Iberian Lynx in danger of extinction is a species that has its habitat in the south of Spain, it is part of the feline family, but it is characterized by having a strong and robust appearance, although it is still very agile to achieve its movements. and hunt the prey that are their food. Of the most preponderant characteristics that this beautiful animal possesses, we can mention the following:
- It is an animal that has long legs that help it take a lot of speed.
- It has pointed ears with stiff, black fur. The color of the fur on its body varies, because you can find specimens that are brown in color but also have more grayish tones. In addition, its short tail usually ends with a black tassel at the end.
- The endangered Iberian Lynx is a carnivorous animal and its food is mainly made up of rabbits.
- The males of the Iberian Lynx can normally weigh about 12 kilos, while the females do not exceed 10 kilos. For this reason, it can be said that the Iberian Lynx in danger of extinction is the smallest and lightest species of lynx on the planet.
Experts indicate that the Iberian Lynx is an animal that is an efficient and agile hunter, since when it identifies prey, it is capable of approaching very stealthily and manages to catch it quite quickly in a jump. In addition, the Iberian Lynx is an animal that is part of the group of mammals. Therefore, this is one of the mammals that is threatened by possible extinction. Within this category we will find included the brown bear, the Asian elephant, or the mountain gorilla.
How does the Iberian Lynx live?
It is a species that today only lives in the Doñana National Park, in Andalusia, although in earlier times, it could be seen inhabiting areas of the Mediterranean and Galicia. This is a species that prefers to settle in places where there are many herbs and bushes, particularly if they have an abundance of strawberry trees or mastic trees, as well as trees for which it has a preference, such as holm oak or cork oak.
What are your life habits like?
Generally, it is a solitary animal, except when the mating season and mating time approaches, moments in which it will always be observed that it is with its partner. The mating season of these animals in the coldest of the winters in Spain, because it is located between the months of January and February of each year.
What pairs of Iberian lynxes do is dig their burrows in areas that are hidden, particularly if they have thickets and tree trunks, among other bushes, which will allow them to be as protected as possible from all kinds of threats. external.
It changes burrows constantly
This is indeed a strange behavior for an animal and it is that the Iberian Lynx in danger of extinction considers that there are vital areas such as those found down the mountain, which it uses for resting, while there are other areas where there is a greater amount of prey.
They live in a solitary and territorial way
The endangered Iberian Lynx spends a lot of time resting, due to the high temperatures that prevail in that Autonomous Community in summer and spring. Its diet consists essentially of rabbits, but it has no problem feeding also on partridges and rodents.
In the winter season, lynxes are creatures that can remain active for up to 24 hours a day, but during the rest of the seasons we can observe that they will remain more inactive, due to weather conditions. In addition, these animals have nocturnal habits, instead of being active during the day. An animal such as the Iberian Lynx manages to reach sexual maturity after a year and a half of life and has a life expectancy that ranges between 10 and 15 years.
What is your level of danger of extinction?
Currently, the population of Iberian lynxes in the Iberian Peninsula is very low. It is quite difficult to be able to estimate the exact number of individuals that still exist, since 2015 was the last year in which there was an increase in the population, due to the fact that reintroduction activities were carried out and thanks to other special programs. for its preservation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyXzcdZhsfs
How has the Iberian Lynx population been declining?
- In the year 1960: around 3.000 Iberian lynxes were counted in the Peninsula.
- Early 2000: The Iberian lynx population decreased to 400 individuals.
- Year 2002: the copies were less than 200.
- March 2005: a study revealed that Iberian lynxes did not exceed 100 individuals.
These studies were carried out through the analysis of the only two lynx foci known to scientists up to that time, which were Doñana and Sierra de Andújar, in Jaén. But in 2007 they were achieved with the surprise of 15 specimens in Castilla-La Mancha. In 2013, the existence of a small group of Iberian lynxes in the province of Cáceres was confirmed. In any case, during 2008 it was estimated that between 99 and 158 adult lynxes lived on the Peninsula, taking into account all the foci that had been found. At present, it has been possible to count that there are about 400 Iberian lynxes in the Peninsula, which is still a very low number. For this reason, the Iberian Lynx has been classified as critically endangered.
What are the threats of the Iberian Lynx?
As it is a species that is clearly in danger of extinction, the multiple threats that it has to face must be taken into consideration. Among the most serious, we can highlight the following:
- human action.
- Reduction in number of rabbits.
- Loss of habitat
human action
The threat that is considered the most serious is the mortality of the specimens that is the product of human activities, such as being run over by vehicles, poaching, illegal poisoning or the installation of traps aimed at other species, among others. On the road that manages to connect the Huelva town of Matalascañas with the rest of the towns, it is one of the places where the largest number of lynxes die each year due to being run over.
In fact, it is estimated that approximately four out of ten lynxes die in this place when they try to cross the road, so in order to avoid these deaths, it has been suggested that ecoducts be installed, which are passageways for wildlife over roads that have vegetation and through which their habitats can be connected.
Rabbit number reduction
The decrease in rabbit populations, which constitute 90% of their diet, and the reason may have been due to diseases or overexploitation of the herbaceous stratum, which means that the Iberian lynxes have no way of feeding and do not survive.
Loss of habitat
Another problem that is highly relevant is the issue of the inconveniences that have decimated the number of forest areas, as well as inadequate reforestation or urbanization that has been observed in rural areas in recent years. All these drawbacks are causing the Iberian Lynx to progressively lose its natural habitat.
How do you try to ensure the survival of the Iberian Lynx?
There are numerous proposals that have been put in place in order to increase the population of the Iberian Lynx in Spain. Some of the best known are:
Captive Breeding
The construction of ecoducts, also called green bridges, with which they can avoid being run over on the roads. This is one of the measures that can significantly reduce deaths, since the animals will be able to cross the roads and move from one habitat to another by means of a bridge with vegetation that is above the roads.
Another aspect to take into account is the captive breeding program, which ensures the conservation of the genetic material of the species. For this, what is required is a number of breeding animals that live in captivity, are mated to have offspring and that over time it will be possible for them to be reintroduced into their natural habitat.
Currently, the breeding program is being carried out at the Acebuche Breeding Center, which is located in the Doñana National Park and at the Jerez de la Frontera Zoobotanical, in Cádiz. These facilities are used to keep the specimens in quarantine, to support the cubs or to house young or adult lynxes.
These are initiatives with which they are trying to save this feline species that is most threatened, of all the felines in the world and hopefully many similar initiatives will be promoted, because if these kinds of programs are not carried out, and if Everything continues as before, the Iberian Lynx in danger of extinction could soon disappear.
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