Back from the brink: IUCN changes Iberian lynx’s status to ‘vulnerable’ from ‘endangered’ in conservation success story

The Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) is the proverbial ‘cat with nine lives’. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) moved its conservation status from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Vulnerable’ on June 20, in what is one of the most successful conservation stories of our time.

The population of the lynx, found in Spain and Portugal, has increased exponentially from 62 mature individuals in 2001 to 648 in 2022. “Today, the total population, including young and mature lynx, is estimated to be more than 2,000,” a statement by IUCN said.

It has taken almost quarter of a century for conservation efforts to bring back the lynx from the abyss of extinction.

At the start of the 21st century, it was down to just 94 individuals. Conservation efforts have focused on increasing the abundance of its prey, the Endangered European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), protecting and restoring Mediterranean scrub and forest habitat, and reducing deaths caused by human activity.

The species’ genetic diversity has been expanded through translocations and an ex-situ breeding programme, both of which have been key to increasing numbers, said IUCN.

“Since 2010, more than 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced to parts of Portugal and Spain. The Iberian lynx now occupies at least 3,320 km², an increase from 449 km² in 2005,” the organisation added.

However, threats remain. Foremost among them are fluctuations of the European rabbit population if there are further virus outbreaks.

The cat is also susceptible to diseases from domestic cats, poaching and road kills, as well as habitat alterations related to climate change.

Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, Coordinator of the LIFE Lynx-Connect project, which led the conservation action for the Iberian lynx, called the lynx’s revival as “the greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation”.

“…this success is the result of committed collaboration between public bodies, scientific institutions, NGOs, private companies, and community members including local landowners, farmers, gamekeepers and hunters, and the financial and logistical support of the European Union LIFE project,” he added.

Ortiz added that there was still a lot of work to do so that Iberian lynx populations survived and thrived throughout the species’ indigenous range. “Looking ahead, there are plans to reintroduce the Iberian lynx to new sites in central and northern Spain,” he said.

As per scientists, “enough suitable habitat remains that the species could reach Fully Recovered status in 100 years, assuming conservation efforts continue with maximum efficacy.”