VALENCIA (EP). The Iberian lynx has gone from being an “endangered” species to having a “vulnerable” status on the Red List of Threatened Species, as announced this Thursday, June 20, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). ).
“The population has increased exponentially from 62 mature individuals in 2001 to 648 in 2022. Today, the total population, including young and mature lynxes, is estimated to be more than 2,000,” the organization reported.
As stated by the IUCN, conservation efforts for this key species have focused on increasing the abundance of its prey, the endangered European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), protecting and restoring Mediterranean forest and scrub habitat, and reduce deaths caused by human activity.
In addition, he points out that measures such as expanding the genetic diversity of the species through translocations and an ‘ex situ’ reproduction program have been “key” to increasing the number of specimens. In this sense, the IUCN indicates that since 2010 more than 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced in parts of Portugal and Spain and that the species currently occupies at least 3,320 square kilometers (km2), compared to 449 km2 in 2005.
still threatened
Even so, the IUCN has stressed that the Iberian lynx remains threatened – mainly due to possible fluctuations in the European rabbit population if new outbreaks of the virus occur – and that the species is also susceptible to diseases of domestic cats. Likewise, poaching and road kill remain threats, especially when busy roads cross lynx habitat, and habitat alterations related to climate change are a growing threat.
The coordinator of the LIFE Lynx-Connect project, Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortizwho led the conservation action for the Iberian lynx, has described the news as “the largest recovery of a feline species ever achieved through conservation.”
“This success is the result of committed collaboration between public agencies, scientific institutions, NGOs, private companies and community members, including local landowners, farmers, forest rangers and hunters, and the financial actors and logistical support of the LIFE project of the European Union (EU),” he indicated.
The president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno Bonillahas advanced this morning the IUCN announcement through a message in ‘X’ emphasizing that the change in the status of the lynx is “a success for everyone through the LIFE Lynx-Connect project” and that it is “a source of pride for Andalusia lead the recovery of the species.”
With conservation efforts, the lynx will recover in 100 years
According to the IUCN, the Iberian lynx is practically depleted in its first assessment of the Green Status of the Species (the global standard for measuring species recovery and evaluating the impact of conservation). However, its high conservation legacy reflects the impact of conservation efforts to date, and “sufficient suitable habitat remains for the species to reach full recovery status within 100 years, assuming conservation efforts continue.” maximum efficiency”.
The IUCN Red List was founded in 1964 and has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive source of information on the global conservation status of animal, fungal and plant species.
