The Iberian Peninsula already has 1,668 specimens of Iberian lynx in the wild, according to the 2022 census coordinated by the Ministry for Ecological Transition. They are 18 times more exemplary than the 94 individuals who survived in 2002 when the program started to save them from an imminent disappearance. The lynx (Lynx pardinus) is an endangered species whose recovery is a unique example of success in a species recovery program. The number of specimens in the Peninsula increased by 22% in 2022 compared to the previous year.
The new census has recorded more than 300 new specimens compared to the year 2021, thus consolidating a trend of continued growth. "This positive demographic evolution allows us to be optimistic about the reduction in the risk of extinction of the Iberian lynx," says the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
Most of the specimens (84.3%) are found in Spain, distributed in six Andalusian nuclei, which are home to 37.6% of the total population, followed by the four nuclei of Castilla-La Mancha -with 35, 0% of lynxes- and Extremadura, with 195 specimens in four nuclei of stable presence.
In Portugal, there are 261 lynxes in the Guadiana Valley area, in three different sub cores (Mértola, Serpa and Alcoutim).
In total there are 15 nuclei with a stable presence of lynxes throughout the Iberian Peninsula
The most important nuclei are located in the Sierra Morena environment -with 782 total lynx-, the Montes de Toledo (272), the Guadiana Valley (261) and the Matachel area in Extremadura (138).
In the case of Andalusia, there are more than 100 more specimens registered than last year, while in the Doñana area, more than 100 specimens have been exceeded for the first time.
The Iberian lynx population has grown exponentially since work began in 2002 to prevent the extinction of the species.
The increase in the number of individuals and the occupied surface has occurred both in the areas where there were specimens in 2002 and in those that have been created through reintroduction.
As is to be expected in a species such as the Iberian lynx, an indeterminate number of specimens have spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula and have even settled in areas not initially foreseen by conservation work on the species.
In 2022, 563 births of 326 breeding females have been recorded. Global productivity, understood as the number of pups born per breeding or territorial female, was 1.72.
"All the main population parameters considered (total number of lynxes, number of breeding females and number of cubs born) show a positive trend since the beginning of the coordinated action programs in 2002," say the Ministry's experts.
European funding, through various Life projects, has also contributed significantly to the smooth running of the programme.
The connection between the different subpopulations is currently one of the main objectives of the reintroduction program (Lynxconnect), so when these natural settlements between subpopulations occur, the program begins to intervene in these corridors or connection points and assesses the convenience of implementing handling.
On other occasions, natural settlements may occur in areas that are outside the scope of action provided.
During the year 2022, the Lynxconnect project has released a total of 40 lynx in the reintroduction areas created in previous Life projects and in previously selected places. These bobcats come from both the captive breeding program and wild animals that have been translocated. All the releases of animals have been made directly into the natural environment without a previous phase in a reintroduction enclosure).
Since the first releases into the natural environment of individuals born in captivity began in 2011, up to 2022, 338 specimens have been reintroduced.
During 2022, the death of 154 specimens of Iberian lynx has been detected. It has been estimated that 6% of the total die from being run over, a figure that has been maintained in recent years.
The technicians point out that "as already explained in the 2021 census, the probability of detecting specimens that die from different causes is highly variable, which has generally led to an overestimation of this distribution for road kills and an underestimation for poaching." or pathologies. In fact, for some specific causes of mortality, the probability of detecting a radiolabeled individual is much higher than that of detecting an unlabeled individual.
On the other hand, the detectability of accidents is very high, regardless of whether or not the individual in question is radiolabeled.
In recent years the growth of populations has been spectacular, above 20% per year. Ramón Pérez de Ayala, project manager for WWF Spain, attributes this "spectacular" growth to the good job of selecting reintroduction areas. In the territories, "all the females that were born have been settling and breeding the following year, but now we are reaching their maximum carrying capacity," he adds, "so it is vitally important to create new populations." The program that is currently being carried out seeks to increase both the overall size of the population and the connectivity between the Iberian lynx nuclei to ensure a self-sustaining and viable population.
The program that is currently being carried out seeks to increase both the overall size of the population and the connectivity between the Iberian lynx nuclei to ensure a self-sustaining and viable population.
The nuclei to be connected are located in Andalusia, Sierra Morena and Doñana Aljarafe, Castilla La Mancha, Montes de Toledo and Campo de Calatrava, Extremadura, Matachel-Alange and Portugal (Vale do Guadaina). The connection of these nuclei, along with the creation of two new nuclei, in Sierra Arana in Granada and Altos de Lorca in Murcia, "will contribute to improving the demographic status of the species."
The ultimate goal is to reduce its degree of threat and lead the species to reach the favorable conservation status objective for 2040: 750 adult females (now there are 326).
