Do you know what the world’s most endangered cat is? Neither did I, don’t worry. The Iberian lynx is in danger of extinction because of habitat destruction, hunting, a lack of prey to feed on and ignorance. A decade ago there were just one hundred of the beautiful felines left in the world. But the great thing about people is that for all the uneducated, selfish ones there are equal numbers, if not more, who care enough to take a stand and make a difference.
Jennifer Hattam of Team Treehugger reports that thanks to some high-tech monitoring, better public awareness and political action this striking wildcat is slowly growing in numbers in Andalusia, Spain.
The Lynx Life project was launched in 2003 and has raised the population to over 300 animals. Robin McKie comments on The Guardian that the lynx is naturally a reclusive hunter; it stays as far from humans as possible. Yet we still manage to capture them, kill them and encroach on their natural habitat.
Thankfully there is Olivilla, a sanctuary for the endangered cats and a key part of the project. Thirty-two cats are sheltered and watched closely with the use of high-tech monitors here. The project is an attempt to strengthen the numbers of the lynx; by paying close attention to the cats’ movements and behaviour the staff at Olivilla know exactly when it’s breeding time. The staff are dedicated to helping the mothers experience safe pregnancies and successful births; the existence of the species depends on it.
It’s saddening to hear that it has come to such a desperate race to save the lynx. That we have allowed their numbers to drop so dramatically in the first place is shocking. The lynx is lucky to have saviours in the staff at Olivilla who provide them with a safe place to live. Members of Lynx Life are supporting the Andalusian government, which has recently introduced a snare-laying restrictive law. They also spend time with local hunting estate owners, informing them about why the animal needs to be protected.
The lynx is an incredibly beautiful and regal creature. Those striking eyes, agile body and pretty markings would be sorely missed if it was to become extinct. The project is dedicated to reintroducing captive cats into the wild in areas where they can live and proliferate without danger. To help the animals Lynx Life also introduces rabbits into the specified areas, and they’re not just helping the lynxes. Leader of Lynx Life, Simon Miguel, told Hattam that to “create homes for rabbits, we prune trees and shrubs of their branches, lay these down to cover the ground and the rabbits start to make their homes underneath them,” and pruning trees also improves the growth of fruit and nuts for boar and deer.
Let’s hope the lynx has gone though the worst and that from here on out their numbers will continue to grow.
Image via Stock.xchng.