Iberian lynx population expected to increase by 66% by 2016

Lynx pardinus

SPAIN / PORTUGAL (Agencies) A new programme called Life Iberlince, to be carried out in Spain and Portugal, forecstas that the Iberian Lynx, one of the world's most endangered species, is expected to grow by 66% (from 270 to 450 individuals) by 2016. The programme signed recently  into being by the President of the Junta de Andalucía, José Antonio Griñán, and the then Minister of the Environment, Rosa Aguilar (now replaced by Miguel Arias Cañete in the new national government)  is due to take place in Andalucía, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura and (mostly Southern) Portugal. The idea is to reinforce the present numbers to "fractionally reduce the degree of menace to the species." To carry it out, new ideal habitats are to be found where animals conceived in captivity can be released, which will also widen the genetic diversity.