Iberian lynx returns to the wild in Spain

The world's most endangered cat, the Iberian lynx There is a huge sense of excitement that is rippling through the crowd that has gathered to catch a rare glimpse of the world's most endangered cat. However this is not the Serengeti or the wilds of India or South America but Europe. The cat in question is not a tiger, panther or leopard but an Iberian Lynx, one of Europe’s big cats.
This lynx that has drawn many spectators could very well be the dozens of people have come out to see could hold the key to saving its species.
The animal was once widespread across Spain and Portugal and almost had a mythical like status in ancient times. However in 2005, its numbers had plummeted to just 150, in the process putting it amongst the most threatened of the world's 36 wild cat species.
One of the main factors in this lynx’s rapid decline was the loss of its main food source: rabbits, which were wiped out by disease. Also another factor has been the huge destruction of its habitat.
The situation got so dire that Spanish conservationists were forced to take radical action: removing some of the cats from the wild and forcing them into captivity to breed, in an attempt to reverse their decline in numbers.
The director of the Lynx Life project, Miguel Simon, said: "The situation was really dramatic: there were only two populations left in the wild. In order to preserve this species, we had to create a captive population in case the wild population became extinct."
There has also been the obstacle of understanding the reproductive behaviour of these cats, which has not been very easy to do due to their shy and solitary characteristics.
However over the last few years, breeding centres have emerged in Andalucia which have been extremely successful and there are now around 100 cats in captivity.
And in the wild these measures are working as the species population has grown to 300 cats.
With these successes, conservationists are now ready to implement their next plan of action, which will entail releasing captive-born lynx into the wild.
Dr Simon said: "The Iberian lynx is a key species in the Mediterranean ecosystem. It is a top predator, and if we preserve this species, we are preserving the whole ecosystem. It’s our heritage, and we have to preserve it for future generations."
The organisation has carefully selected an area in Sierra Morena Mountains as home for the animals. This area is perfect for the cats, as it is hilly, forested and has plenty of shade for the cats to sleep in when the sun becomes too hot. Above all, there are plenty of the lynx’s main food sources, rabbits, to feast on.
As the cats are released, they are a little confused at first, unsure of their new surroundings.
Guillermo Lopez, a vet with the Lynx Life project, said: "Days like today, you feel incredible. This is the very first time a captive-bred individual has been released into the wild. I am a bit scared because we don't know what is going to happen with her. It is a big change from being in captivity, but we have to try."
The Lynx Life team readily admits that this sort of drastic intervention is a last resort. However if it works, these wild cats could be the first of many to roam free once again.
Eventually, the conservationists would like to extend the scheme across Spain and Portugal.
Dr Lopez said: "Just a few years ago, everything seemed so difficult, and now we are approaching the successful conservation of the species. We are looking at the landscape, and thinking: 'Yes, we can do it'."