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Five endangered Iberian lynx set free to populate new territory in Spain

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Five Iberian lynx were released into the wild this week in southern Spain as part of an expanding breeding programme aimed at conserving one the most endangered feline species.

Saturno and Sotillo are two male lynx bred under captivity. Solera and Ilexa, two wild-born females, will emerge from their crates and reproduce in the Sierra Arana region in the Andalusian province, Granada.

Javier Salcedo, regional programme coordinator, said: "It's the particular objective of this project to create a reintroduction area here." It's another milestone in this project.

Poaching, road accidents, and farming encroachment put the Iberian lynx at risk of extinction in 2002. At the time, only 94 specimens were recorded in Spain, and none in Portugal.

The threat level was downgraded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2015 to 'Endangered" from 'Critically Endeared'. This was attributed to ongoing conservation efforts, according to Spain's Environment Ministry.

The Iberian lynx population in Portugal, Spain and Spain grew to over 1,000 by 2020. This is a significant leap.

Guiseppe Aloio, director at the regional forest-biodiversity department, stated that there are currently 522 Iberian Lynx in Andalusia.

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This is Andalusia’s success. After the release of five wild cats, he said that Andalusia had been able to multiply its population by five, the critical census it held 20 years ago.

According to the WWF, to be considered non-endangered the Iberian Lynx population must exceed 3,000, including 750 breeding females.

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