In a remarkable turn of events, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recently reclassified the Iberian lynx from “endangered” to “vulnerable”. This change comes after a significant increase in the population of this species, which has grown from just 62 mature individuals in 2001 to over 2,000 individuals today. The Iberian lynx is native to the Iberian region, which includes Spain and Portugal. Once common across the entire Iberian Peninsula, the population of these wild cats declined drastically starting in the 1960s due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, and road accidents. However, recent conservation efforts have led to a remarkable recovery of the species.
Conservation initiatives have focused on increasing the abundance of the lynx’s main food source, the endangered European rabbit, by freeing captive lynxes and restoring their natural habitats. Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, a coordinator involved in these efforts, described the recovery of the Iberian lynx as “the greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation”. Despite this positive progress, there is still much work to be done to ensure the survival of the Iberian lynx and its continued recovery. Plans are in place to reintroduce these cats to new sites in central and northern Spain. The occupied area of the species has also expanded significantly, from 449 sq km in 2005 to 3,320 sq km today.
While this news is cause for celebration, it’s important not to let our guard down. The IUCN has warned that if threats such as diseases from domestic cats, poaching, and road accidents are not addressed
