Spanish lynx. The Iberian lynx is the most vulnerable cat in the world Iberian cat

The Iberian (Iberian or Spanish) lynx is the rarest predatory animal of the cat family. This lynx is one of the most rapidly disappearing species on the planet from the cat family.

Appearance of the Iberian lynx

The size of the Iberian lynx is much smaller than the ordinary lynx. Body length: 65-100 cm, tail length: 5-19 cm, shoulder height: 40-50 cm. The Iberian lynx weighs from 13 to 25 kg.

The Iberian lynx is smaller in size than the Eurasian lynx, it has a short tail, a muscular body and long legs. The Iberian lynx has relatively short, coarse, bright yellowish-red to yellowish-brown fur with brown or black spots, and a white underparts. Male Iberian lynx are larger than females, and both have prominent whiskers on their faces, and long bunches dark hair at the tips of the ears.

IN winter time As the years go by, the Spanish lynx's coat dulls a little and becomes a little thinner, which makes it look less voluminous.

Habitat of the Iberian lynx

The Iberian lynx's habitat is southwestern Spain (most of it in the Coto Doñana National Park), although it was originally widespread in Spain and Portugal. Now its range is limited to mountainous areas.

Lifestyle and nutrition of the Iberian lynx

The Iberian lynx leads a solitary lifestyle. The hunting grounds reach fifteen square kilometers, which they carefully protect. Only females can enter the territory of males. The solitude of lynxes ceases only in mating season.

Lynx activity depends on the time of year. In winter, she hunts during the day, and in summer, to escape the heat, mainly at night. The Iberian lynx is a very picky eater. Despite the fact that it can feed on rodents and young deer, the main diet consists of hares and rabbits (75% of all food). One rabbit per day is enough for a predator. Previously, rabbits were found in abundance in these areas, but now everything is different. In the mid-20th century, a South American virus reduced their numbers. Accordingly, because of this, the number of Spanish lynx has sharply decreased.

The prey usually lies in wait in the bushes, and when the prey approaches within a few steps, the lynx rushes at it.

Reproduction and lifespanIberian lynx

The mating season of the Iberian lynx lasts from January to July. Responsibilities for raising offspring are assigned only to the female; the father does not take part in them.

In preparation for the birth of her babies, the mother finds a secluded place, in the form of a cavity in the trunk of a cork oak tree or suitable thickets. Seventy days after mating, from one to four kittens are born, weighing about two hundred grams. Up to five months they feed on their mother’s milk, although already at one month they can eat their usual food. They hunt independently after seven months. And despite this, the cubs remain close to their mother until they find their hunting grounds. It is not uncommon for this to last up to two years.

When kittens reach 2 months of age, they begin to show aggression towards each other. Sometimes even one kitten kills another. Experts believe that attacks of aggression are associated with the transition from mother's milk to meat. IN wildlife The Iberian lynx lives a maximum of 13 years.

The first case of Iberian lynx breeding in captivity took place on March 29, 2005. On that day, three kittens were born. In May, one of the kittens died while playing with his brother. In 2006, 4 kittens were already born in captivity.

Population status and conservation

The Iberian lynx is one of the rarest mammal species. As of 2005, its population was estimated at only 100 individuals. For comparison: at the beginning of the 20th century there were about 100 thousand, by 1960 - already 3 thousand, by 2000 - only 400. Included in Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species wild fauna and flora), as well as on the lists of the World Conservation Union ( IUCN), in category I (endangered animals).

The reasons for the extinction of this species include: destruction of its habitat, historical persecution by humans; a decrease in its potential prey (mountain rabbit) due to two viral diseases (myxomatosis in the 50s and rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease in the 80s). In recent years, there has been a medical risk due to the lack of genetic diversity, which makes the Iberian lynx very vulnerable to disease.

Measures to restore the Iberian lynx population

Since the late 20th century, much work has been done to save this species from imminent extinction through various conservation projects.

Fortunately, already based on the results of the calculations carried out in 2015, the first fruits of this enormous work can be seen. Data reports that the Iberian lynx population has quadrupled over the past 15 years.

To restore lynx numbers, special conservation zones and LICs were designated as part of Nature 2000 special significance), which indirectly protected the protected Mediterranean mountains, their fauna and flora.

Such a small population of Iberian lynx is threatened by a growing health risk associated with low genetic diversity and it is because of this that additions have been made to programs that have focused on returning the species to its natural environment, captive breeding projects have been launched to provide the species with sufficient numbers healthy animals.

The Program for the Conservation of the Endangered Iberian Lynx has two goals: on the one hand, to restore the lynx population in breeding centers, which is feasible and allows for the development of natural and assisted reproduction techniques. Secondly, to prepare individual Iberian lynx for their re-breeding in the places that this species inhabited historically.

Specifically, the goal is to conserve 85% of current genetic variation within 30 years. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to have a reproductive nucleus consisting of at least 60 individuals (30 females and 30 males).

Captive breeding programs should strive to ensure that the lynx lives in similar conditions as it did in its natural environment, which is very important especially for individuals who will be released into the wild. Specialists who work today in breeding centers strive to awaken the behavior characteristic of lynxes: hunting, territoriality, social interaction, and also create a stress-free environment that makes playback easier.

On at the moment There are five breeding centers for the Iberian lynx. For last year As part of the reproduction program, 23 females became pregnant. As a result, 48 Iberian lynx kittens were born and then successfully weaned. The kitten survival rate was 83%.

The Iberian (Spanish, Sardinian) lynx is externally similar to its close relatives - the common lynx, Canadian and red. Although it is smaller in size. So, height is 50-70 centimeters, length - from 80 centimeters to 1 meter, tail with a black tip - from 15 to 30 centimeters. Males, as usual, are larger than females, weighing on average 13-14 kilograms (although there are individuals reaching 25 kg). Females are lighter - 9.5-10 kilograms.

The skull is shorter than that of the common lynx, the muzzle is flat and narrow, and the jaws are quite long. But the fangs are smaller than those of cats that hunt large animals. This structure of the skull and muzzle allows you to easily catch small, fast prey and kill it instantly.

The ears are decorated with black tassels, the cheeks are framed by dark sideburns, which is why the animals look like they have beards. The fur is short - after all, where the Iberian lynx lives, it is warm, it is yellow-brown in color. The entire surface of the body (including the paws) is decorated with dark spots of various shapes and sizes. The coloring is very similar to leopard print.

Habitat

The Iberian lynx lives on the Iberian Peninsula, in the southwestern regions of Spain and almost the entire territory of Portugal. Not so long ago (in the 19th century), the animal completely occupied the Spanish and Portuguese territories, but their number was greatly reduced. Now the main part lives in national reserve Coto de Doñana.

Habitat

Iberian lynxes live in mountainous areas no higher than 1300 meters above sea level with the obligatory presence of swampy meadows and shrubs growing on them. These bush thickets are used by lynxes as shelters; in these same places they rest and breed.

Reproduction

Kittens already eat raw meat in the second month of life, but their mother feeds them milk for up to five months. At six months, young lynx cubs begin to hunt on their own, but until they completely decide on a hunting area (at about 20 months), they remain to live with their mother.

Nutrition

The structure of the skull and jaws allows the lynx to catch small animals with dexterity. Their small size combined with camouflage makes them excellent hunters of small mammals.

The Iberian lynx is a solitary hunter; its diet is based on rabbits. For an adult animal, you need to eat at least one carcass per day. Hares and various kinds of rodents, snakes, and birds also appear as prey. The Iberian lynx catches fish in reservoirs and can grab and eat a gaping insect. It happens that the prey turns out to be a baby fallow deer, deer or mouflon.

Possessing excellent eyesight and sense of smell, most often the lynx freezes on a tree branch or in the shelter of rocks and waits for the approach of the prey, which it then attacks. The spotted hunter does not immediately eat the prey - he first takes it away and only then starts eating. If it is not possible to cope with all the prey, then it hides and is eaten for tomorrow.

Lifestyle, behavior

The Iberian lynx is a predator that lives a solitary life. They are active at dusk and are directly dependent on the activity of the prey - the Iberian rabbit. In winter, when the rabbit lives during the day, the lynx also switches to the same regime.

Each animal has its own territory, for males it is up to 18 square kilometers, for females it is smaller - up to 10. Their territories overlap, each sex protects its territory from strangers and potential threats. Lynxes mark the boundaries of areas with the help of smells - they mark with urine or excrement, and leave scratches on trees.

If there is little food in the domain, the lynxes show aggression and kill other animals, seeing them as competitors. Their victims include foxes, otters, ordinary dogs, and mongooses.

Threats

Since the Iberian lynxes are food chain occupies one of the top lines, then they have no natural enemies. The only one who can be considered an enemy is man. Most of the Spanish lynx were killed for the sake of their beautiful fur, and currently only two percent of the number that existed in the 19th century remains.

Role in the ecological system

The Iberian lynx is a regulator of the number of European rabbits, preventing them from reproducing beyond measure. Also, having increased demands on living conditions, the Iberian lynx serves as an indicator of the health of the place in which it lives.

Security status

The Iberian lynx is a species of rapidly disappearing mammal. If at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries there were more than one hundred thousand specimens, then by the middle of the 20th there were just over 3 thousand left, and by the beginning of the 21st century - only four hundred animals. This animal is included not only in the Red Book, but also in various lists and conventions dedicated to endangered animals.

A special program has been created for breeding lynx in captivity, which will make it possible to restore the population.

All cats are beautiful without exception, but nature has worked especially hard on the appearance of some species. The Iberian or Spanish lynx (Lynx pardinus), which I want to tell you about today, is precisely one of these selected beauties.

The Iberian lynx is so beautiful that, with your permission, I would compare it with a young Spanish beauty with fiery eyes and black voluminous eyebrows. This cat's face is simply incredible - looking at it, you get the impression that an experienced makeup artist and stylist were preparing it for a photo shoot. This is precisely what distinguishes the Iberian lynx from the ordinary lynx. And the Spanish relative of our lynx has very bright spots on its body, which is why the Spanish lynx is sometimes called the European leopard.

The dimensions of the Iberian lynx are small: the height at the withers rarely exceeds 60-70 cm, with a body length of about 1 meter. Such sizes do not allow hunting large game, so the Spanish lynx's food base consists of hares and small birds. It is extremely rare for a lynx to attack young ungulates. The lynx hunts at any time of the day, but in summer, due to the heat, it does it mainly at night.

Another distinctive external feature The Iberian lynx's tail is. True, it’s more like a tail, especially when compared with other representatives of the cat family.

Iberian lynxes lead a solitary lifestyle and only pair up during the mating season. Pregnancy lasts about 70 days. Typically, one to four kittens are born, which remain with their mother until approximately 8-12 months.

It is extremely difficult to meet this beauty. In the wild, they live only in the highlands of Spain. The largest population remains in national park Coto Doñana. Alas, but now I will again say a phrase already familiar to you: this view wild cats is one of the rarest in nature and is on the verge of extinction. According to Spanish zoologists, today there are about 100 individuals left in the wild, which makes this cat one of the rarest, along with Far Eastern leopard and the Asiatic cheetah...

What do you think of this beauty?

Iberian or Spanish lynx (Lynx pardinus)- a species of predatory mammal from the cat family.

Description

The Iberian lynx is similar in appearance to its close relative, (Lynx lynx). Has a similar body size to (Lynx canadensis) And (Lynx rufus). Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, males are larger than females. Spanish lynxes have relatively small heads, long paws and very short tails with black tips. They have short, flat muzzles, black tufts on their ears, and "whiskers" on their cheeks that give them a bearded appearance. appearance, which is especially noticeable in adults. Fur color is yellowish-brown, present dark spots, which vary greatly in size, shape and color intensity.

Since lynxes of this species hunt small animals, they have a shortened skull, which allows them to perform as much as possible. strong bite. In addition, they have more narrow muzzles, longer jaws, and smaller fangs than those of felines, which specialize in large prey. These features give the lynx an advantage when catching small, fast prey, and allow it to kill prey in one bite.

Area

The Iberian lynx is one of two species of carnivores endemic to Europe (the other being the European mink (Mustela Lutreola)). Their historical range is limited to the Iberian Peninsula, southwestern Spain and most of Portugal. Although they were once widespread throughout the region, their geographic range has declined significantly over the past century and a half. Currently, lynxes occupy about 2% of their original range.

Habitat

Spanish lynxes prefer terrain below 1300 m altitude, where there is shrubland interspersed with open grasslands, often with swamp ecotones. Lynx use wooded areas for shelter, as well as for resting and breeding.

Reproduction

Iberian lynxes, like most cats, are polygynous. Puberty occurs at about 1 year of age. The female's estrus begins in January, but can recur throughout the year if the pregnancy is interrupted or the cubs die prematurely. The gestational period ranges from 63 to 73 days, and most births occur between March and April. The number of lynx cubs in a litter varies from 2 to 4. Feeding with mother's milk lasts up to 10 weeks, and complete independence occurs at 7-8 months.

Lifespan

The oldest representative of the Iberian lynx in the wild reached the age of 13 years. The lifespan of individuals in captivity is unknown.

Nutrition

Like most felines, Spanish lynxes often hunt alone and kill prey with a single bite to the throat. Their small size and good camouflage make them excellent hunters. small mammals. 80 to 100% of the diet consists of European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). One adult lynx needs from 600 to 1000 kcal per day. This amount of energy is contained in the carcass of one rabbit. An adult female with cubs requires up to three rabbits per day. When European rabbits are in short supply, Iberian lynxes feed on small vertebrates, namely rodents (Rodentia) and Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis). They also consume birds, including red partridges (Alectoris rufa), ducks, and geese, and also sometimes hunt young ungulates such as red deer (Cervus elaphus), doe (Dama dama) and mouflon (Ovis musimon).

Behavior

Spanish lynxes are solitary predators that exhibit social structure. They are nocturnal or crepuscular animals. The greatest activity occurs when potential prey is at its peak. Daily activities involve searching for food, usually the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). IN winter period, Iberian lynxes, can be temporarily diurnal.

Adult females and males live in overlapping territories, and both sexes defend their territory from possible threats. When food is scarce, lynxes become aggressive and may kill other predators to reduce competition for prey. Dogs (Canis familiaris), domestic cats (Felis catus), common foxes (Vulpes Vulpes), common genets (Genetta genetta), Egyptian mongooses (Herpestes ichneumon) and otters (lutra lutra) often become victims of the Iberian lynx.

Home range

Prey density and habitat quality influence significant influence on the size of the home range, which ranges from 4 to 20 km². They travel about 7 km a day in search of prey. Prey density is inversely proportional to home range size (higher food density = smaller home range). For example, in areas with low rabbit densities, the bobcat's home range size is 12-17 km². Where prey is more abundant, ranges vary between 5-10 km².

Communication and perception

Like Spanish lynxes, they have vertical pupils and excellent vision, especially at night. They have good reflexes, sideburns provide additional tactile sensations, and big ears allow you to pick up a variety of sounds. When in danger, lynxes use vocalizations.

Threats

Being at the top of the chain of carnivores, Iberian lynxes do not have natural enemies. The main threat to these carnivorous mammals comes from a person. Hunting for their fur has significantly reduced and put the Spanish lynx population at risk of extinction.

Role in the ecosystem

Spanish lynxes regulate the population of European rabbits. These animals have very specific habitat requirements. As a result, they can serve as reliable bioindicators of ecosystem health. In addition, the moderate density of the Iberian lynx population may have a positive effect on general level suitability of prey, since predation acts as a disease control mechanism. Finally, adult lynxes often kill their competitors (i.e. small predators), resulting in increased prey, thereby reducing territory size requirements per lynx.

Economic significance for humans

Positive

Lynxes are hunted for their valuable fur. Iberian lynxes, by controlling the rabbit population, indirectly influence the slowdown in the growth of diseases they carry, such as myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease.

Negative

Attacks on livestock are very rare, and no violent attacks on humans have been recorded.

Security status

Spanish lynxes are an endangered species. In the last century, they have undergone significant population declines and range reductions due to human activity and disease outbreaks in European rabbits, resulting in a significant decline in their primary prey. Conservation of the Iberian lynx population requires immediate and coordinated efforts by Spanish and Portuguese authorities.

Video

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Titles: Iberian lynx, Spanish lynx.

Area: southwest Spain, Portugal.

Description: externally, the Spanish lynx (except for its small stature) is very similar to its relatives living in Eurasia. She has long and wide legs, and a very short tail. The fur is long, “whiskers” grow on the muzzle, the tufts on the ears are black, and the mustache is long. Winter fur is thicker and lighter than summer fur. Females are smaller than males.

Color: the main background is light, dark spots are sharply expressed.

Size: body length 85-110 cm, tail 12-13 cm, height at withers 45-70 cm.

Weight: 4-10 kg.

Lifespan: up to 10-13 years.

Habitat: forested mountainous areas, found both in open areas and in forest thickets.

Enemies: Human.

Food: the basis of the diet of the Iberian lynx are rabbits (up to 75-95% of the total), hares and rats. It also hunts reptiles and amphibians, birds, fish and insects. Sometimes it attacks young roe deer or deer.

Behavior: The Spanish lynx is active at night in the warm season, and during the day in winter.
In bad weather he hides in caves or full of trees. Runs well. Vision and sense of smell are well developed, allowing the lynx to detect prey at a distance of up to 300 m. It can travel up to seven kilometers per day (during hunting).
It hunts from ambush - usually hiding on a tree branch, behind a stump or rock - and waits for the prey to come close enough to attack it. It carries the caught prey some distance away from the killing site and only then begins to eat it. Leave the uneaten part for the next day.

Social structure: except for the breeding season, the Iberian lynx leads a solitary lifestyle, protecting its territory from strangers. The size of an individual site ranges from 10 (for females) to 18 (for males) km 2 . The boundaries of the site may change over time and depending on the number of rabbits.
The male's territory partially overlaps with several of the females' territories.
It marks the boundaries of its territory with scent marks.

Reproduction: Once the male has established his own territory (usually by age 3), he can breed. Throughout the breeding season, a male may mate with several females. The female bears offspring only once a year.
For childbirth, the female makes a den in hollow trees.

Breeding season/period: from January to July.

Puberty: by three years.

Pregnancy: lasts 72-78 days.

Benefit/harm for humans: The Spanish lynx is hunted by humans for its skin and meat.
In early 1970, hunting Iberian lynx was banned, but it is still hunted.
By the local population (farmers), the lynx is persecuted as a predator, sometimes attacking livestock.

Population/Conservation Status: Spanish Lynx - rare species, listed in Appendix I of the CITES Convention, as well as in the International Red Book.
The population size as of 2005 is about 100-200 adult individuals.
The main threats to the species: loss of habitats (destruction and cutting down of cork and oak forests), reduction in the number of food resources ( european rabbit), high mortality on the roads in collisions with vehicles.

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