After years of conservation efforts, the Iberian lynx, one of the world’s rarest cats, has been reclassified from “endangered” to “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This change comes after a remarkable increase in the lynx population, which grew from just 62 mature individuals in 2001 to over 648 in 2022. The total population of young and mature lynx now exceeds 2,000 individuals, with most of them living in the Iberian region of Spain and Portugal.
The species was once widespread throughout the Iberian Peninsula but their numbers declined sharply starting in the 1960s due to habitat loss, poaching, and road accidents. However, thanks to conservation efforts focused on preserving their main food source, the endangered European rabbit, the lynx population has been gradually recovering. Efforts include releasing captive lynxes into the wild and restoring their natural habitats.
While the Iberian lynx population has shown positive growth, there is still much work to be done to ensure their survival and continued recovery. Plans are underway to reintroduce the lynx to new areas in central and northern Spain. Despite expanding their territories from just 449 sq km in 2005 to over 3,320 sq km today, the IUCN warns that continued threats such as diseases from domestic cats, poaching, and road accidents could reverse progress made.
Established in 1964, the IUCN’s red list categorizes species based on their risk of extinction and is considered the most comprehensive information source on global conservation status for animal fungi plant species. The successful recovery of the Iberian lynx serves as a testament to targeted conservation efforts’ positive impact and is seen as a significant achievement in conservation circles.
