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 update reflects a significant population increase from 62 mature individuals in 2001 to 648 in 2022, with an estimated total population of over 2,000 when including both young and mature lynx. Native to Spain and Portugal, the lynx faced drastic declines from the 1960s due to habitat loss, poaching, and road accidents, pushing the species to near extinction.
Conservation efforts have been pivotal in this recovery. Key strategies included boosting populations of the lynx‘s primary prey, the endangered European rabbit, releasing captive lynxes, and restoring their natural habitats. Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, a conservation coordinator, hailed the recovery as the greatest ever achieved for a cat species through conservation efforts. However, Ortiz emphasized that significant work remains to ensure the species‘ survival and further recovery, with plans to reintroduce the lynx to new areas in central and northern Spain.
The IUCN highlighted that the lynx‘s habitat has expanded from 449 sq km in 2005 to 3,320 sq km today. Despite these gains, the IUCN cautions that the species still faces threats from disease, poaching, and road accidents, which could reverse the gains made, underscoring the ongoing need for vigilant conservation efforts.