Iberian Lynx Back from Brink of Extinction
The most endangered cat species in the world, the Iberian Lynx, is slowly clawing its way back from the brink of extinction. One hundred years ago, there were about 100,000 of these cats in the wilds of Spain and Portugal. By 2002, the population had dropped to barely 150. If it were to become extinct, it would be the first feline species since the sabre-tooth tiger to do so.
The Iberian Lynx is a striking cat, with distinctive leopard-like spots. They can grow to about three feet long and 33 pounds. The lynx has four sets of whiskers: two groups on the ears and two on the chin that it uses to sense its prey.
Its decline has been attributed to habitat destruction, hunting, and a precipitous decline in the population of wild rabbits, the Lynx’s primary source of food. A male requires one rabbit per day; nursing females need three.
The recent success in building its numbers is due to efforts at a captive breeding program in Doñana National Park in southern Spain.
Dr Astrid Vargas has been running the program since December 2003. She started with four females and one male. There are now 77 of the lynxes in captivity.
Dr Vargas is no stranger to saving endangered species. She has worked on programs to save the black-footed ferret and the Mexican wolf in the United States and the Siberian tiger in Russia. She says that her work is “satisfying and very terribly tiring”.
“When you are responsible for a lot of live animals that are critically endangered you never disconnect. It’s day and night.”
Earlier this summer, a record 17 surviving cubs were born in captivity in Doñana and in another breeding center in La Olivilla.
Captive breeding presents unique challenges with this species. Siblings become violent toward one another between 30 and 60 days of age, with the peak at about 45 days. Cubs frequently kill their littermates, though no one knows exactly why. One of Dr Vargas’ first surviving sets of cubs was killed in such a fight in 2005.
Vargas says that she has now reached her goal of the 30 adult males and 30 adult females necessary to begin reintroducing the species to the wild.
“We are now two years ahead of schedule of the growth projections for the captive breeding progam. The next big challenge is to prepare the captive-born animals for their survival in the wild,” she said. There are plans to add two more breeding centers to accommodate their growing numbers.
Introduction of the captive-bred cats into the wild will begin next year.
You can see Iberian Lynxes up close and purrsonal on their webcams. Click here to view.
[LINK: Physorg.com]
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What beautiful cats. How strange that the cubs attack and try to kill their littermates. I am happy for the efforts of Dr. Vargas and others like her that are working so hard to save endangered species.
it’s so amazing that such a program is so successful! i’ve heard that similar programs for other felines have a very low success rate. and it’s absolutely wonderful that they’re going to re-introduce them. they’re probably the most beautiful creatures that i’ve ever seen.
They are beautifu, big cats, and I love their markings and their ear whiskers!
What beautiful animals! Hopefully the species will survive. Grateful there are organizations out there trying to save endangered species like this.
These are such beautiful cats. I’m glad someone is working so hard to bring them back from the brink of extinction.
They are so beautiful. It’s such a shame to see any animal near extinction.
Nice that we keep the wild kitties going too.
How can this be even remotely successful if the introduction to the wild isn’t matched by a major introduction of wild rabbits? What are they going to eat? Where are they going to live?
OMC! I was just going to say how beautiful but then I read my friend, Tethys’s comment.
Good questions. I also want to know!!
What beautiful cats. I’m so glad they are making a comeback!
Beautiful! Be a shame to lose them.
My mommy loves going to the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound in south/central CA. They have so many breeds that they help like that.
I am jealous of the lynx’s pointed ears and markings. I was born with stripes but now I’m all black.
Such beautiful amazing creatures… I hope the captives can be reintroduced to the wild successfully, that they will have appropriate habitat and food sources to survives as a wild species.
LUK AT THE BEARD on that kitteh. WHOA! I am gunna try to grow owt my furry whiskurs so thay can become a beard like that one.
Wure so happy to hear the kittehs are not in exstinkshun anymore.
What beautiful cats. Ot’s such important work that the group is doing.
They are so pretty! I suppose the siblings kill each other off as part of the survival of the fittest. The surviving kitten doesn’t require as much resources as a whole litter of kittens. However, if the winner of the battle also receives fatal wounds, then the entire litter is lost, greatly decreasing the number of reproductive individuals come next breeding time….
Great job and what a cute wild kitty!!!
I’m glad something is being done to improve their numbers
What beautiful babies! I just love their pointy ear hair and silly short tails! Check out Angel Hope’s long, beautiful tail on Catster: http://www.catster.com/cats/1003983