A species is recognized as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) when its adult population falls between 250 and 2,500 individuals, and when the total population has declined by 70% to 80% in recent years. Thanks to active conservation programs, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) has met both criteria and has enjoyed protection since the 1990s. Today, there are more than 1,365 documented individuals on the Iberian Peninsula.
The Iberian lynx first appeared on the IUCN list as a critically endangered species in 1986. At that time the population dwindled to about 100 individuals scattered across two isolated clusters in the Sierra Morena and Doñana. Ramón Pérez de Ayala, head of WWF Spain’s Species Program Projects, notes that a major wildfire could have driven the species to extinction.
Success of EU Life projects
Habitat loss, road traffic, poaching, and a shrinking rabbit supply were the main threats driving the lynx toward collapse. These warnings triggered the start of rescue efforts in 2002 aimed at preventing extinction.
The inaugural Life project, Recovering Iberian lynx populations in Andalusia, marked a turning point in the species’ conservation and laid the groundwork for a safe and stable future. The program carried a budget of over 9 million euros, with the European Union contributing 42%. Its objectives were to connect existing populations in Andalusia and to assure regular exchange of individuals between groups, explains Pérez de Ayala. A key outcome was increased genetic diversity and reduced inbreeding risks that can cause physical defects.
The initial four-year phase yielded a 49% rise in the lynx population and expanded distribution by 73%, opening new zones suitable for expansion and propagation.
Pérez de Ayala notes that organizations like WWF-Spain are central to these efforts, including the Life Lynx Connect project. This initiative, the fourth LIFE project supported by the European Commission for the species’ conservation, runs from 2020 to 2025 with a five-year scope.
Web materials from WWF explain that the main aim is to grow both the overall population and the connectivity among core areas to form a self-sustaining metapopulation.
WWF emphasizes a core focus on population monitoring. The assessment method uses camera traps across habitat zones to capture images as lynx move through an area. Each animal is identified through distinctive skin patches that act as a genetic fingerprint. This approach helps prevent deaths, track dispersal, and observe which individuals establish territories, according to the organization.
Fieldwork has expanded the core from two sites in Andalusia to fifteen, including fourteen in Spain and one in Portugal.
Continuous increases
Recent data published by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (Miteco) show ongoing gains, with 2021 recording a total of 1,365 lynxes, including adults, sub-adults, and offspring. WWF notes that the population grew by roughly 30% over a two- to three-year span.
Among the total, 1,156 individuals are in Spain and 209 are in Portugal. Andalusia leads with 519 lynxes, followed by Castilla-La Mancha with 473 and Extremadura with 164. Castilla-La Mancha also reported the highest birth figures in the latest season, totaling 208 calves born, with 88 breeding females. Other regions saw 174 births in Andalusia and 48 in Extremadura.
The lynx population has shown a clear upward trajectory as new populations settle in. Experts believe that recent introductions, starting in 2014, benefited from lessons learned and sharper management. This has produced faster growth and helped stabilize numbers at a level where carrying capacity limits further recruitment. New cores have formed in Sierra Arana (Granada) and Altos de Lorca (Murcia), with expectations for continued growth in coming years.
Ongoing threats
When establishing a lynx population in any area, several factors must be considered that could hinder continued growth. The rabbit supply remains the lynx’s primary food source, so rabbit abundance directly influences recovery potential. Where habitats are suitable but rabbits are scarce, the lynx faces a significant challenge.
A thriving habitat with few rabbits poses a real risk, because a lynx can begin breeding with at least one rabbit per hectare, and more rabbits per hectare enable stronger litter sizes. When rabbit numbers reach higher levels, the probability of healthy offspring increases, while disease risks can complicate survival in some populations.
However, road accidents and poaching remain major causes of death. Headlines about lynx road fatalities still appear in the media. Addressing this requires roadside maintenance to improve animal visibility and driver awareness. Dynamic wildlife crossing signage that activates when animals are nearby is preferred over fixed signs that people quickly become used to and ignore.
Training for enforcement
Poaching continues to challenge conservation efforts. Experts emphasize the need for greater surveillance and more field teams to identify potential poaching hotspots. Civil Guards and Forest Officers must be well-trained so prosecutors can pursue cases effectively, while public awareness and evidence gathering play crucial roles. Despite extensive work, hundreds of poaching incidents are still reported each year, with only a small portion reaching prosecution.
The overarching goal of these organizations and programs is to triple the number of Iberian lynxes by 2040, moving from endangered toward not endangered. While progress is encouraging, experts stress that sustained, coordinated action remains essential to secure a stable future for this iconic species.