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Date Published: 22/11/2024

Two more Iberian lynxes have been released in the highlands of Lorca

The release follows controversy after many lynxes this year have succumbed to fatal traffic accidents

Damán and Nota are the names of the two Iberian Lynxes that have been released in the highlands of Lorca. Their release marks an effort by many in Spain to strengthen and stabilise the habitat of these beautiful cats.

The reintroduction of the Iberian lynxes in Murcia has come as part of an effort to consolidate the highlands of Lorca as ‘lynx territory’. The release is part of an experimental programme which seeks to reintroduce the cats once they have completed their reproductive stage.

The aim of the programme is simple enough as it tries to integrate Iberian Lynxes into the natural environment. Because of the fact that these two cats are too old to reproduce, the idea is that their presence in the area will encourage the settlement of younger lynxes and therefore increase the biodiversity of the environment.

Both cats will be tracked with a GPS on a geolocation collar in order to assess their behaviour, movements and their adaptation to the place in which they live. Furthermore, this is the first time that two mature cats have been set free into the wild. Lynxes are very territorial but are also social creatures that rely on one another. Therefore, if a hunting or breeding ground is densely populated this is a good thing for the lynxes.

The Region of Murcia joined the reintroduction project in 2012 and, since then, has carried out work to identify the best reintroduction areas to ensure that the cats have the best possible chance of survival and ability to thrive in the area.

The relationship between society and the cats, however, has produced some problems in recent years. Since February, the total number of lynxes killed on the roads has been 41. Some have pointed to the uselessness of releasing more lynxes when the existing ones continue to die at the hands of motorists. Certain critics claim the tragic incidents that have happened involving the cats are down to the lack of infrastructure in place in order to house the animals.

However, this has not stopped a dozen lynxes being released in the area before these two this year. Through the project ‘Creation of a genetically and demographically functional metapopulation of the Iberian Lynx’, the European commission continues to place money into the project despite the setbacks to the cause.

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