What is special about the Iberian lynx?
The Iberian lynx is a strict Carnivore of medium size. Its medium weight is around 12’5 kg. Its most striking characteristics are those already described as general characteristics of the lynxes: paintbrushes, beards and short tails with an apical black footrope.
Why is the Iberian lynx going extinct?
The Iberian lynx has been brought to the brink of extinction because of a combination of threats that include the radical decrease of rabbits, the lynx’s principal prey; a serious reduction in habitat; being caught in snares set for rabbits; accidental deaths caused by speeding vehicles on the expanding road network.
Are lynx endangered 2021?
Protection status. In the lower 48 states, lynx are considered threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Their protection followed a petition and decade of support by Conservation Northwest and other conservation organizations.
Are Lynx still alive?
The Iberian lynx is the world’s most endangered cat. In 2002, there were fewer than 100 left in the wild. Although now there are over 400, their numbers are still declining in Doñana National Park—a reserve in Andalusia, southern Spain—from 93 in 2013 to only 76 in 2015.
Are lynx still alive?
How many Iberian lynx are left in the world?
Why are lynx hunted?
The main threats to the Eurasian lynx are hunting and habitat loss. Hunters prized its valuable fur and its meat, and although some landowners appreciate its role in keeping fox and rabbit numbers down, most perceive it as a threat to their game populations.
Are Lynx going extinct?
The Canada lynx is protected under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species. Historically the lynx was found from Alaska across Canada and into the northern U.S. states. The center of the North American range is in north-central Canada.
How is the WWF helping the Iberian lynx?
WWF has been working for the conservation of the Iberian lynx for over 10 years, fighting for proper protection and conservation of vital habitat. Specific action includes: Support for the captive breeding programme. Sponsorship of the Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (LCIE), leading to the development of an action plan for the Iberian lynx.
Are there Lynx in the wild in Spain?
Very few people have ever seen an Iberian lynx in the wild. Along with being extremely rare, it is also one of the most elusive species in the world. And lives in some of the wildest and most remote parts of Spain. But thanks to camera traps, the Iberian lynx is also one of the most closely monitored species in the world.
What kind of prey does the Iberian lynx have?
Rabbits form the main prey of the Iberian lynx. Epidemics, such as myxamatosis and the haemorrhagic disease, have affected rabbit populations over the years, which has in turn affected the Iberian lynx population. WWF is calling the spanish authorities to escalate efforts to recover rabbit populations.
What’s the current population of the Iberian lynx?
However, conservation measures have seen its population inch above 400. The conservation effort taken to prevent the Iberian Lynx’s extinction has paid out, and from a shrinking population of less than 100 individuals in 2002, now 404 cats live in the Mediterranean forests of the Iberian Peninsula.