The Spanish project to reintroduce the Lynx has taken 15 years. In 2002, the numbers of Iberian lynx were down to less than 100, and the numbers were confined to southern Spain (the Andalusia region.) Of the population, there were just 25 breeding females.
Lynx are medium-sized wild cats. A lynx’s coloring, fur length and paw size vary according to the climate in their range. In the U.S., the term “bobcat” is commonly used to describe the North American wild cat (Lynx rufus).
The primary reason for the decline of the Spanish lynx was habitat loss, mainly the result of a reduction in cork oak trees. Furthermore, this period coincided in a reduction in the rabbit population (which are the main food source for the lynx.)
To address this, conservationists began to capture young lynxes and hold them in captivity to enable a breeding program to take place. This was based on an agreement between the Spanish Environment Ministry and the Andalusian Environment Council. The animals, born in captivity, were then gradually released. The first young to be released into the wild were few in number, back in 2010. By 2014, 124 animals were released; and by 2015, 400 were set loose.
Most of the lynx population remains in Andalusia, although some have reached the hills near Toledo, in Extremadura. GPS transmitters allow scientists to track the movements of the animals. Most remain in a territorial area of 20 square kilometers.
Based on the Spanish success, there is talk of reintroducing the animal to Britain. According to the BBC, a charitable body called the Lynx U.K. Trust has been set up to facilitate this. Lynx have been absent from the British Isles for some 1,000 years. If this happens, the species -Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) – is slightly different to the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). The Eurasian lynx is larger and has small tufts of black hair on each ear.
Not everyone supports the idea of reintroducing the animal back in to Britain. Opposition has been voiced from farmers, worried about the risk to farm animals from the predator. The issue is set to be discussed by the U.K. government over the coming year.
