Iberian lynx population rebounds from the verge of extinction

Iberian lynx with a tracking collar for research

Lynx populations throughout the Iberian Peninsula have rebounded in the midst of a 20-year conservation project. Research has shown the lynx population has increased to 855 across the area, up from a mere 94 cats in 2002. The project has utilized an extensive network of camera traps to track the species population. The lynx have even began populating Portugal, a region in which they had previously been extinct.

The sustained increase in the lynx population has already had positive impacts on the greater Iberian ecosystem. Ramón Pérez de Ayala from WWF Spain has high hopes for the future of Iberian lynx, with the primary goal of seeing the species removed from the IUCN endangered list.

This is an excellent example of successful cat conservation being carried out right now.

Full story by Sam Jones on The Guardian