Injured Iberian Lynx for Captive Breeding Programme

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Injured Iberian Lynx for Captive Breeding Programme

CAT NEWS
Issue 16, Spring 1992

The first breeding centre for Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus is being established at the Doñana National Park in southern Spain, home of a wild population.

Juan J. Aldama of the Spanish Institute for Conservation of Nature ICONA reports that three injured lynx, which cannot be returned to the wild, will be founders of the breeding programme.

Establishment of the centre has been agreed between ICONA, the Doñana Biological Station and the Andalusian agency for nature conservation AMA.

The lynx population in the Doñana National Park is estimated to number about 50. It is one of the most studied Iberian lynx populations. The total number of lynx in Spain and Portugal is put at between 1,000 and 1,200 in nine genetically isolated populations, according to Alejandro Rodriguez and Miguel Delibes of the Doñana Biological Station. They consider that there are 48 separate breeding areas, generally small in size.

The main threats to the lynx are continued habitat fragmentation, decline in rabbits, the main prey, and capture in rabbit snares. In addition, lynx are killed crossing roads.

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