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

Portuguese environmentalists have denounced the deliberate shooting of the country’s only nesting male Iberian Imperial eagle.The incident took place in February in the Vale do Guadiana natural park, close to the country’s southeastern border with Spain.

Miguel Rodrigues, spokesperson for SOS Lynx, said, “Irrational attitudes constitute one of the main barriers to predator conservation in Spain and Portugal. If predator persecution cannot be adequately controlled, the future recovery of many important predator species will be in doubt.” The species was once widespread across the Iberian Peninsula, but is now confined to small parts of central and southern Spain, and areas close to the Spanish border in Portugal.

• Environment News Service
• Last Nesting Male Iberian Eagle in Portugal Shot Dead

Dan Ward on his new lynxblog comments on this shooting that:

“Irrational attitudes constitute one of the main barriers to predator conservation in Spain and Portugal, and if predator persecution cannot be adequately controlled, the future recovery of many important predator species will be in doubt”.

The Spanish (or Iberian) imperial eagle is one of the three rarest birds of prey in the world. Spain currently (2007) is home to all 234 pairs of imperial eagles, with a slight rise in recent years (see news archive on iberianature.

And on the topic of wind energy, the largest onshore wind farm in Europe started producing power yesterday today in northern Portugal. The farm is to provide enough electricity for up to a million people. A total of 120 windmills are dotted across the highlands of the Upper Minho region of Portugal which continues to forge its reputation as a renewables champion.
The Guardian

The Pelamis wave farm has just been officially launched after a delay of more than a year. Pelamis takes its name from an ancient word for sea snake, as the machines could be described as giant metal snakes floating in the water. At full production they will be able to generate enough power for 1,500 homes, with 25 more machines set to be installed in Portugal.

• Read on BBC
• Follow the forum thread here
• Wave snakes’ switch on to harness ocean’s power(The Guardian)

“In addition to this flagship wave power, the Portuguese are investing heavily in other renewable technologies. They are already spending £250m on more than 2,500 solar photovoltaic panels to build the world’s largest solar farm near the small town of Moura in eastern Portugal. It will have twice the collecting area of London’s Hyde Park and supply 45MW of electricity each year, enough to power 30,000 homes. In the past three years, the country has also trebled its hydroelectric capacity and quadrupled its wind power sources – northern Portugal has the world’s biggest wind farm with more than 130 turbines and a factory that builds the 40m-long blades. Pinho wants Portugal to rival Denmark or Japan in its commitment to developing renewables industries – he predicts his country will generate 31% of all its primary energy from clean sources by 2020, compared with Britain’s target of 15%. The Portuguese target means increasing the generation of electricity from renewable sources from 42% in 2005 to 60% in 2020.”

The plan is reintroduce the lynx by 2011 in four areas of Portugal (sierras de Malcata, Nisa y San Mamede, Valle del Guadiana, Odemira y Valle del Sado) where it became extinct at some point in the late 1990s after the decimation of rabbit populations through virus and fire.  The last Portuguese lynx was last detected in 2003 by DNA analysis of faeces  in the Valle del Guadiana. El Pais

The event was widely discussed by European Enlightenment philosophers, and inspired major developments in thinking, and also signalled the birth of modern seismology.

Lisbon in flames with a tsunami overwhelming the ships in the harbor (1755 engraving)

1755 Lisbon earthquake

1755 German copperplate image, “The Ruins of Lisbon. Survivors camp in a (rather fanciful) tent city outside the city of Lisbon, following the November 1, 1755 earthquake. The image shows criminal activity and general mayhem, as well as the hanging of quake survivors under constabulary supervision. Priests are present, one holding a crucifix, one possibly a prayer book, so appear to be giving last rites to persons being hanged. ” Wikipedia

See also

Tsunamis in Spain

earthquakes in Spain

Source Els Temps de Pico and here

Some interesting environmentally aware holidays in Portugal here at wildside holidays