The Missing Lynx (The Guardian) Good article. “Ten years ago, there were barely 100 Iberian lynx left. But an innovative Spanish conservation programme is rescuing them from the edge of extinction”

And this story about ancient giant bunnies from Menorca reported in The Scientist

The skeletal remains of a 26-pound rabbit was found on an island off the coast of Spain. Dubbed the Minorcan King of the Rabbits, this ancient rabbit lived approximately three to five million years ago and now adds evidence to a curious rule concerning the evolution of animals in islands. The so-called “island rule” states that big animals will get smaller and small animals (such as rabbits) will get bigger when the population is isolated on an island, perhaps due to the lack of mainland predators. In this case, the King is a whopping six-times larger than living European rabbits, but due to a rigid spine and short legs, it was also unable to hop.

The seven Iberian lynxes (four females and three males) released in December 2009 in Guadalmellato, Cordoba are breeding successfully. Three cubs have been born to one mother, and two other females are believed to be pregnant.

The seven animals were the first to be released from the lynx captive breeding programme with the aim of establishing new territories across Spain. In this first case, an area close to the main lynx  stronghold of Andújar was chosen. To make their adaptation easier, supplementary food in the form of penned rabbits has been provided – the lynxes can get in, but the rabbit can’t get out. The animals have also been fitted with radio-trackers.

The biologists in charge of the project are delighted not only with the news of the cubs, but also because no lynxes have so far died – three to four were expected to do so as they succumbed to the ordeal of adapting to their new territory. One animal has also come into contact with lynxes from Andújar which bodes well that this small population can expand.

Photo of one of the Guadalmellato lynxes on its release: El Mundo

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

Lyrics

Es un gato grande con los ojos grandes
que al mover la cola transmite emoción
de largas patillas con sus zapatillas

da un salto muy grande y entra en acción

Corre tras su presa como una persona
y si se le escapa pronto la abandona
se ha desayunado una liebre hermosa
y un buchito de agua de la charca rosa

Es el lince Ramón
es el lince Ramón
Allá va el lince Ramón

Siempre solitario por su itinerario
va muy silencioso nunca llama la atención
tiene mucha vista y es gran velocista
a pesar de todo está en peligro de extinción

Le pone la oreja a todo lo que asoma
ten cuidado lince es la Blanca Paloma
Una mañanita con su bella estampa
iba por el coto y cayó en la trampa

Le pusieron la inyección
es un momento no duele ná
le pusieron Ramón
y un transmisor en el collar

Se despierta el lince no ha pasado nada
gracias por la nueva vida regalada
No perdamos tiempo que ésto son tres días
¿dónde te has metido tú lincesa mía?

Detrás va el Doctor con una cajita
donde numerada guarda su caquita
El laboratorio da los resultados
lo que tiene el lince es que se ha enamorado

No me diga usted princesa
que a mí sólo me interesa
lo que a todos los demás

Que soy un gato rumbero
y mi rumbo es que la quiero
que la quiero de verdad

Allá va el lince Ramón
y le hace el corazón
bip-bip-bop-bop
Es el lince Ramón
y le hace el corazón
bip-bip-bop-bop

Un día de mayo con su Seat Rayo
va a ver a su novia el conductor Don Ramón
Pa Matalascañas iba dando caña
y en ese momento se cruza el lince Ramón

Del fatal encuentro ya estaba cantado
se les fue la vida a los enamorados
ya acabó la historia de los dos Ramones
y ahorita tú mismo saca conclusiones
Lince Ramón…

Apologies to regular readers of iberianature as other commitments have prevented me from updating the blog as much as I should.

Here are a few interesting stories I’ve not had time to report on in April:

Bears, lynx and wolves

• Outlook for bears in the Cantabrian Mountains is optimistic (above photo)
• Book published on bears in the Pyrenees
• Excellent new bear photos here
• FAPAS considers bears to have recovered in Proaza
• Another attempt to get Furaco, Paca and Tola to breed
• Wolf tourism could generate 3 million euros in Zamora
• Fourth birth of captive lynxes at ‘La Olivilla’ centre

Birds

• Mallard fights off black kite in Valladolid
• Dippers under threat from Asturian fishermen

Other stories

• Controversy as to where the source of the Guadalquivir is
• Anniversary of death of José Antonio Valverde, great Spanish naturalist
• Sperm whale found off the coast of Ceuta

Público

Three Iberian lynx have been run over in the last month in Doñana, one of the worst figures for years. The latest animal was a male found dead on the road connecting Matalascañas with El Rocíos. He is thought to have been dispersing in search of new territories. Almost three lynxes a year (26 in total) have been killed since 2000…And three in a single month is an utter disater. Clearly the traffic signs aren’t sufficient.  Crónica Verde

Three Iberian lynxes of the captive breeding programme have died in recent weeks from a renal disease. Lynxes in the wild are thought not to suffer from this disease. El País

Garfio, the Iberian lynx who was captured in 2003 and begat the first brood of lynx cubs to be bred in captivity, has died this week from a chronic renal infection at the age of ten. In all he sired 11 little lynxes. El País

Photo of Garfio in action from Lynxexsitu.es. Thanks to TP on the forum who I’ve paraphrased here.

An important step has been taken this week with the release into the wild of the first Iberian lynx bred in captivity. The two animals were set free in Guadalmellato, Cordoba in the Sierra Morena. Three more are to be released soon.

Photo from El Mundo of one of the released lynx as it bounds into the freedoms of the Cordoban hills.

The transfer of captive Iberian lynx from Spain to Portgual has been completed with the arrival of two males, bringing to a total of 16 animals (11 males and 5 females) at the new breeding centre in Silves in the Algarve.

According to the latest figures from the Andalucian government, there are now some 223 lynxes in the wild in Andalucia, 63 in Doñana and 160 in the Sierra Morena. This is remarkable increase from the low point of an estimated 120 animals in 2004 (42 in Doñana and 78 in Sierra Morena). This year 21 cubs were raised in Doñaña with a total of 16 female territories. As far I know, these total figures do not include the 15 odd animals recently discovered in Castilla-La Mancha.

As for the recent deaths of two female lynxes, it seems that a violent death has been ruled out in both cases. El País

• More lynx images here from the Ex-situ Conservation Programme from where the above photo is taken.

As reported previously by iberianature, The first Iberian lynx has returned to Portugal after twenty years as part of the captive breeding programme. Watch video and report in Portuguese here with interview (in Spanish) with iberianatureforummer Iñigo Sanchez of Jerez Zoo, from where the female lynx, Azahar, was taken.

Twenty years after becoming extinct in Portugal, the Iberian lynx is to return to the country next week as part of the reintroduction programme. A female will be transferred to the new breeding centre in the village of Silves in Portugal. A total of 16 animals are to moved to the centre in the coming weeks. These animals will be used for captive breeding rather than for releases.

The first releases in the wild in Spain are now set for 2010 when 8-10 lynxes are to be released in Guadalmellato (Córdoba) and Guarrizas (Jaén). From 2011, between 20 and 40 individuals will be released a year. Público

Photo above from ex situ Iberian lynx conservation programme. Here

See also Dan’s lynx blog

The final numbers for the lynx captive breeding programme have been released in 2009. A record 18 lynx cubs have been born, 11 in El Acebuche and 7 in the new La Olivilla centre. There are now a remarkable 78 lynxes (36 born in the wild, 42 in captivity) in the programme, which is clearly on target for the first wild releases scheduled for 2010. The new centre at Zarza de Granadilla (Cáceres) is also to be built in the near future. El Mundo

Above photo is from the ex-situ website and is of Espliego one of last year’s cubs.

This year’s Iberian lynx captive breeding programme is going well. Here is a quick round-up the latest figures.

11 females have so far given birth to cubs . There are now 19 surviving cubs born this year, 17 of which are being raised by their mothers and 2 are in intensive care at  El Acebuche. More detail here

On the negative side, I’d missed this bad news from Doñana in March reported on Dan Ward’s Lynxblog.

Theo, a seven year old female lynx, pregnant with two cubs, was killed by a motor vehicle on 13 March on a road between Algodonera and Laguna de San Lázaro, within the Doñana protected area. This incident follows a number of similar lynx deaths in the area in recent years, including just six months ago when a lynx was runover on the busy Almonte – Matalascañas road alongside the National Park. Moreover, Theo was killed on an agricultural road that had been recently re-surfaced and upgraded to allow traffic to drive much more quickly. Read complete article

The above photo is from the ex-situ website and is of one of last year’s cubs.

El Pais has this interesting photo report on the successful Iberian lynx captive breeding programme in Acebuche, Doñana. In the photo, the lynxes are monitored 24 hours a day by a team of biologists.

And sorry but I couldn’t resist this one of Elfo at three weeks old, the first “grandcub” to be born in the programme. He was abandoned by his mother Brisa and has been raised by the captive breeding team.

Caribú, the lynx from the Sierra Morena which was released in Doñana in November 2008 with the aim of increasing the genetic variability there, has travelled almost 200km in three months. There is no evidence that it has mated yet as it is a sub-adult.
El Mundo

Dan Ward has sent me his latest Lynx Brief, the essential periodic review in English of the state of the Iberian Lynx.

This issue looks at, among other topics, the international Iberian lynx seminar, current Iberian lynx numbers, plans for Iberian lynx reintroductions, inappropriate predator control, declines in wild rabbits and transparency of information in Castilla -La Mancha.

Some highlights which I have cropped from the original:

• On lynx numbers As reported at the III International Seminar, Iberian Lynx recovery has continued well in the Sierra Morena area just north of Andújar, Andalucía, with 40 breeding females, 55 cubs born in 2008 and 150 individuals overall. This compares with 18 females, 22 cubs and 60 individuals in 2002….As a result of this increase, the lynx area in Andújar-Cardeña has probably reached its carrying capacity and thus could provide animals for future reintroductions elsewhere. This is an unexpected, welcome and important achievement, not least because it is generally preferable to reintroduce felines bred in the wild rather than those bred in captivity (if possible) because they are more likely to be fully adapted to living in the wild.
• In addition to these in situ achievements in the Sierra Morena, the ex situ captive breeding programme has also progressed well, with 52 individuals, 24 of which were bred in captivity.
  Moreover, the ex situ population will also be able to provide 20 to 40 individuals per year for  reintroductions, from 2010. Finally, in Doñana, the lynx population seems to have remained steady in recent years, with around 50 individuals reported in total each year between 2002 and 2008. This is despite the loss of at least 9 individuals to Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) in 2007, thanks partly to the successful translocation of a breeding male lynx from Andújar-Cardeña to Doñana in December 2007
  (see LynxBrief no. 10 and 11). Moreover, a second lynx was successfully translocated into Doñana in November 2008.
• On predator control Much of Spain and Portugal is used extensively for hunting, and this is especially true of current and potential lynx areas; e.g. 70% of Spain is covered by hunting estates (used by over 1 million registered hunters), and the majority of lynx living in the wild are situated in such estates. Moreover, techniques used by gamekeepers and landowners to kill, especially, rabbit and partridge predators have been strongly implicated in the past decline of the Iberian Lynx, and the on-going decline of many other species. For example, it is suspected that the 1990s extinction of the lynx population in Montes de Toledo, central Spain (where good habitat and rabbit populations remain) was due to the widespread use of leg traps and snares in the area.
• On rabbits and lynx One of the key obstacles to reversing rabbit decline has been that rabbits, and rabbit conservation, in Spain and Portugal have not been given the profile and attention they deserve….Fortunately, this situation has recently changed. In Portugal in 2006, national authorities re-classified the European Rabbit as “Near Threatened”, and in Spain in 2007, the species was re-classified by national authorities as “Vulnerable”. Moreover, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) has also, just this year, re-classified the European Rabbit globally in its native range (Spain, Portugal and parts of north Africa) from “Least Concern” to “Near Threatened”.
• Castilla – La Mancha and transparency a lack of transparency of information has also been a key obstacle to Iberian Lynx conservation in recent years. A very current example, discussed at the International Seminar, was the presence of lynx in Castilla – La Mancha….The Castilla – La Mancha authorities have argued that they cannot release the location of their lynx because they fear attracting too many nature watchers to these areas. However, the precise location of lynx in Andalucía has been widely publicised for many years without a detrimental impact from the public….It has been alleged that the real reason that the Castilla – La Mancha government do not want to publicise the location of their lynx is actually because they are reluctant to share knowledge (and thus power), or because of a fear on the part of landowners that public knowledge of lynx presence will increase pressure for restrictions on the current use of predator  control methods. Moreover, it has also been alleged that at least one of the locations of lynx in Castilla – La Mancha is a large estate bordering Andalucía, owned by a British Lord, who allegedly has considerable influence over local authorities.

Read the Lynx Brief 12

Photo from the Iberian lynx recovery programme.

Photo from La Olivilla centre in Jaén (EFE). The latest news on the Iberian lynx bodes well for the future of the species. Speaking at the III Seminario de Conservación del Lince Ibérico in November. Urs Breitenmoser, feline expert with the World Conservation Union stated “We have gone from a critical reality of extinction to a situation of just vulnerability. El Pais.

This year a total of 82 Iberian lynx were born, including 21 in captivity, and including cubs there now may be as many as 200 lynxes in Spain, up from 100 in 2002. In addition, more than 50 lynxes are doing their bit in the various captive breeding centres. A record 13 cubs born in captivity have survived this year. The first releases of captive lynxes in the wild are set for autumn 2009 in Guadalmellato, Cordoba. El Mundo There is, however, still a very, very long way to go. It is worth remember that as late as the early 1960s there were still between 5,000 and 6,000 iberian lynxes in the Peninsula.

Meanwhile, the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha has confirmed the presence of lynxes the Montes de Toledo made up of at least 15 animals and 3 breeding territories. The photo below was taken by an automatic camera tracking these Castillian lynxes, which well provide vital genetic variation to the Doñana and Sierra Morena lynxes. El Mundo

Good news for the Iberian lynx. According to the Andalusian government, 61 lynx cubs were born this year in Sierra Morena, beating the record in recent years of 2006. This is more evidence that the Life Project is working. The population of lynx in the Sierra Morena could now be as high as 180 including cubs, doubling the figure for 2002. This will allow more lynx to be transferred to Doñana to avoid endogamy in the population there (though other problems will have to be solved). The news was announced during the opening of the second Iberian lynx captive breeding centre La Olivilla in Jaén. The centre has a number of large breeding cages and bigger pens for hunting. Junta de Andalucia

The official figures for cubs born in the Sierra Morena on the last seven years are:

2002 24
2003 17
2004 31
2005 29
2006 57
2007 22
2008 61

It is estimated that around 40% of these will have died in their first year. Others may have dispersed to new areas such Castilla-La Mancha.

• More lynx images here from the Ex-situ Conservation Programme

La Crónica Verde has posted the latest figures for Iberian lynx in Doñana for 2008 complete with maps. A more positive breeding season than the disastrous recent years. 10 females had 23 cubs of which as far as is known 18 have survived. Total numbers of lynxes: 18 territorial females, 4-5 territorial males, 9 sub-adults, 18 cubs. 50-53 known lynxes in Doñana.

• Read in La Crónica Verde

• El Períodico
• El lince europeo en España

“The lynx is the definitely the name of the game in the Sierra de Andujar. There are road signs emblazoned with lynx every few kms reminding you to keep your speed down, many of the farms have plaques indicating that they have signed up to the lynx conservation program, and a number of the restaurants have pictures and information about the species.”

• Read on the forum

• extremadura24horas

The Ex-situ Conservation Programme for the Iberian lynx has released a new set of ridiculously cute pictures of Iberian lynxes. this time from the lynx born in the captive breeding programme in 2008. In the picture: Endrino, Eón and Adelfa. Lots more images here.

• Summary here of the lynxes in captivity
• Latest figures for lynx in wild

A study published by researchers from CSIC this month in Animal Conservation (Looking for the Iberian lynx in central Spain: a needle in a haystack?) examines the possible relict populations of Iberian lynx outside the two known populations of lynx in the Sierra Morena and Doñana. To determine the current distribution of Iberian lynx outside the two recognized populations, the team surveyed five different areas between 2004 and 2007 where the species is considered extinct and collected 581 faeces for the genetic identification of the species. They identified 18 samples as belonging to Iberian lynx in four out of the five areas studied (including the area , providing clear evidence for the presence of lynx in central Spain. In some areas the species was detected repeatedly at different localities and on different dates, indicating a regular occurrence of an unknown number of individuals. Crucially, five new haplotypes have been found which appear to confirm these are genetically distinct animals from new populations and not dispersed animals.

These areas were studied. Lynx scats were found in the first four

• Montes de Toledo
• Sierra del Relumbrar
• Western Sierra Morena
• Río Guadalmez (Ciudad Real), where lynxes were recorded last year and where it appears there is a population of 12-18 individuals. See Lynx in Castilla-La Mancha (from Lynx brief)
• Sierra de Gata. No signs found despite numerous attempts.

As biologist Fernando Alda points out the data proves that they are at least “out there” and that even though they are in very small number they could provide valuable genetic variability to the two main populations of Doñana and Andújar. He also believes they should also be considered as areas for reintroduction.

I haven’t seen the full article on which this story is based though I am sure that more details will come out. My doubt was, as with the River Guadalmez lynxes, whether we are talking about relict populations or a individuals which have dispersed from the Sierra Morena stronghold of Andújar-Cardoña. But the five new haplotypes appear to confirm these are genetically distinct animals which would provide a valuable increase in genetic variability for the lynx.

See also El Público

• Photo above from ex situ Iberian lynx conservation programme. Here

Dan Ward has just sent me the latest and as usual excellent Lynx Brief (pdf). This issue looks at:

• The serious situation for the lynx in Doñana whose population seems to be going from bad to worse. He calls for an action plan to combat:

- High traffic speeds and volumes
- Habitat loss to intensive agriculture
- Apparent mismanagement of protected areas
- The population’s small size and low diversity
- Conflicting attitudes amongst local people

This is all undoubtedly true but I personally feel the greatest threat to the lynx in Doñana is the extremely low rabbit population across the park which is forcing young lynx to disperse into conflictive areas. Despite being increasingly hemmed in by infrastructure, Doñana is still big and wild enough to support a far larger and almost sustainable lynx population than now, as indeed it did until myxamatosis arrived.

• The Iberian Lynx captive breeding programme is advancing well, both in terms of more captive breeding success, and in terms of actions and plans made for: further captive breeding centres, and; the planned reintroduction of captively bred animals in the future.
• Lynx presence in Cuidad Real, Castilla-La Mancha with a population of 15 individuals, including 3 reproductive females, 2 adult males, 4 sub-adults and 6 cubs

Cuidad Real province borders the area of northern Andalucía with current lynx presence (Andújar – Cardeña). This, combined with the fact that extensive surveys conducted over previous years failed to confirm lynx presence, suggests that the lynx in Castilla-La Mancha are individuals dispersed from northern Andalucía rather than a separate remnant population. Unofficial suggestions have been made that the photographed lynx come from a specific private hunting estate bordering Andalucía in southern Cuidad Real province, which, if true, would confirm the hypothesis that these animals dispersed from Andalucía. Unfortunately, however, the regional government has
refused to confirm the precise location of these lynx. The Castilla-La Mancha government has justified withholding this information so as to protect the lynxes’ habitat. However, the reverse would seem to be true. The precise location of lynxes in Andalucía has been widely publicised for several years without apparent detrimental impact upon their habitat. Moreover, it would seem that accurate and openly-available information about lynx presence has been key to allowing effective lynx conservation in Andalucía through co-ordination, lobbying, conservation projects, research and outreach.

Also check out Dan’s recommendation for the new soslynx.org website with some beautiful photos and videos.

The Iberian lynx breeding programme is expecting five more female lynxes to give birth this week in El Acebuche, Doñana and two at the new La Olivilla centre in Santa Elena, Jaén. The mother’s names are Esperanza, Aura and Aliaga (El Acebuche) and Castañuela and Barraca – (La Olivilla). Last weekend Adelfa and Boj also gave birth to litters in El Acebuche. Terra

Video here of Boj and her cubs

On the negative side three lynx cubs have been found dead in the Coto del Rey, apparently from malnutricion. The litter of four were micro-chipped at the end of March when, according to WWF/Adena, two of them should have been taken from their mother due to the unlikelyhood of them all surviving naturally. According to their sources, the cubs weren’t in the best of health then. Follow this on the forum

Photos from Programa de Conservación Ex-Situ del Lince ibérico

UPDATE: Pregnancy turned out to be phantom.

Tests have confirmed that Azahar, an Iberian Lynx from Jerez de la Frontera Zoo is pregnant and will hopefully give birth in mid-April. This would be the zoo’s first lynx litter. Azahar was brought to the zoo after being captured in the Sierra de Andújar as she had an injury which made her survival in the wild unlikely. There is a chance that the birth will coincide with the iberianature forum trip to the zoo’s facilities on April 13th. Terra

• Photo from Iberian lynx breeding Plan at Jerez Zoo
• January 2008: Boletín 47: Emparejamiento y apareamientos 2008

1. Brisa, a first-time mother gave birth, prematurely, to two cubs, one of which was still born. Lisa on the forum notes “If www.publico.es is not exaggerating Brisa spent a long time trying to bring it round but had to give up and ate it. Eight hours later, the second cub was born having shot out a metre after the last contraction  She rejected this cub (well, not an ideal first experience was it?) and the cub is being reared by experts in charge of the breeding programme. It’s still in a critical condition.”
2. The second news is somewhat better. Brisa’s mother, Saliega, gave birth to her 4th litter on Saturday. Three cubs were born. One of the three has since died but far the other two are fine.

• Photo above is a photo of Saliega in 2005 with her then-cub Brisa. More lovely photos here
• Follow this topic on the forum

Spanish researchers are currently testing a vaccine for rabbits against myxomatosis and haemorrhagic disease virus.

The rabbit, that most Spanish of animals, is a keystone species in Spain, forming an essential part of the food chain, and to a greater or lesser extent the basis of the diet for more than 40 species of mammals, birds and reptiles including the Iberian lynx, which is virtually dependant on it for survival. The arrival of myxomatosis in Spain in 1953 led to the decimation of rabbit populations with mortality rates of 95-100% in many areas, and the extinction of Iberian lynx across almost the whole Peninsula. It also had an unquantified but surely massive effect on other animals. Then, in the 1980s, just when the rabbit began to recover, a second rabbit-control disease, Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (vírica hemorrágica in Spanish), was unleashed on the planet. Its arrival in Spain, once again decimated rabbit numbers, and in many areas rabbits have yet to recover despite millions spent by government and hunting estates. Myxomatosis attacks in the summer and haemorrhagic disease virus attacks in the winter.

The Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria has been working for more than ten years to find a vaccine against both diseases. Based on this research, the Laboratorio Syva with the support of the Federación de Caza and the Fundación Biodiversidad have now developed a vaccine which with the final field tests still to be done seems to be efficient. It provides an interesting example of hunters and conservationists working together.

According to Luis Ignacio Pérez-Ordoyo of the Laboratorio Syva, “The vaccine has been developed from the myxomatosis virus into which is inserted the gene of a protein of vírica hemorrágica, thus obtaining a recombinable virus”.

The vaccine is inserted under a rabbit’s skin and then is transmitted to other rabbits by contact. There is no direct transmission to the foetus in pregnant females. Once EU and Spanish medical authorities give the go-ahead, it can be used with wild rabbits. Then, in theory, this harmless virus will spread among the population, so inoculating them. Researchers assure the virus has no negative effect on rabbits or their predators. Tests have been carried on European lynx with no adverse effects. The vaccine has a 100% effectiveness for one year. (Note, I’m unsure as to whether it is then necessary to re-vaccinate or whether the virus will naturally do this). The same researchers also note that it is also necessary to improve the habitat of rabbits in Spain so they can dig burrows and feed, and to repopulate some areas.

This vaccine could be have a huge effect on the recovery of the Iberian lynx. Rabbits could recover very quickly, as they breed, as it were, “like rabbits” with up 11 pregnancies a year, giving birth each time to 3-9 babies. (Publico)

See also More protection demanded for rabbit + Origin of words Spain, rabbit and coney + Iberian lynx (with section on the rabbit)

Good news for this last 2007. Not a single Iberian lynx were killed this year on Doñana’s roads, in contrast to the five killed last year. This is no doubt much due to the 27 km of special fencing to prevent the lynx from crossing the road (El Mundo). Also the first lynx (a male) taken from Sierra Morena has been released in Doñana to improve the population genetic viability. (Terra)