The captive Iberian lynx breeding project has been dealt a serious blow with the expected death in the next year of ten Iberian lynxes from renal disease. Four animals have already died, and 40% of the captive population of 70 have the disease, which has no cure. Breeding pairs have been reduced from 27 to just 9, and so far only 2 cubs have been born, with only ten forecast for the season. Project head Astrid Vargas has affirmed that the deaths will not put a stop to the programme.
[...] Iberian lynx reintroduction continues June 13th, 2010 | by nick | The plan to reintroduce Iberian lynx in the wild is to continue, despite the serious setback posed by the outbreak of a renal disease amongst the captive animals, in a year when only nine cubs were born. The fact that the wild populations in Andalucia are increasingly strong (65 and 165 animals in Doñana and Sierra Morena in, respectively) and the overall success of the captive breeding programme (80 cubs born so far) bodes well for the future, as does the increasing Iberian nature of the programme with the involvement of Castilla-La Mancha, Extredura and Portugal. EFE The breeding project was dealt a serious blow with the expected death in the next year of twelve lynxes from renal disease. More here Serious blow to lynx breeding project [...]