They observe an Iberian lynx that has traveled from Seville to Catalonia.
In 2024, a record high of 'Lynx pardinus' was recorded on the Peninsula, with 2,401 individuals located.
BarcelonaThe cameras that the Rural Agents have spread throughout Catalonia have allowed them to detect a situation that until now was unusual: an Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in the wild in Catalonia. The discovery comes a year after the lynx went from being an endangered animal to a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.
The Newspaper and the ARA has been able to confirm, it is a specimen named Secret, and it is an adult male that was born four years ago at the Silves captive breeding center in Portugal. The sighting is remarkable, since the majority of lynx specimens live in southern Spain. of specimens located in 2024, an all-time high. This new record represents a 19% increase over the previous year. lynx are Castilla-La Mancha (942 specimens, 46% of the total in Spain), Andalusia (836, 40.8%), Extremadura (254, 12.4%) and Murcia (15, 0.73%). Why has it arrived?
Antón Álvarez, a technician with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) species program in Spain, explains to ARA that "lynxes are great travelers, and when they reach a certain age, they need to travel many kilometers," which could explain why this specimen has reached Catalonia. These journeys are known as "dispersive movements" and are not exclusive to lynxes. Álvarez adds that the species moves through areas with vegetation, shelter, and especially rabbits, which represent 97% of its diet.
The WWF technician emphasizes that, historically, the Iberian lynx had occupied the entire Iberian Peninsula, including the northernmost territories. Now, for this species to achieve favorable conservation status and cease to be considered an endangered animal, Álvarez believes that Catalonia could be a key territory as an "optimal reintroduction space."
Along these lines, MITECO assures that "in the coming years, it is planned to expand the extent of the species' presence by approving new areas and starting reintroduction work, both in new autonomous communities and in new areas of Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha," where most lynx live.
