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| Iberian Lynx - Lynx pardinus | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 7 2012, 08:38 PM (8,977 Views) | |
| Taipan | Jan 7 2012, 08:38 PM Post #1 |
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Iberian Lynx - Lynx pardinus![]() Appearance: Lynx pardinus is one of Europe's largest cats. The male weighs up to five times more than the domestic cat although its size can vary considerably. It is an animal of robust appearance with solid legs of which the rear pair are notably longer than those of the front. It has large paws, a relatively small head and a very short tail. Its coat is long and thick. It has tufts on the tips of the ears and a "beard" which is especially noticeable in the winter when it may extend to a full ruff. This facial fur, as in all felids, plays an important role as a tactile organ. Long fur on the paws helps the animal in snow. The colour is reddish-yellow with large, well defined black spots. Length: 85 cm to 110 cm (M) 84 cm to 88 cm (F) Tail: 12-13 cm Height at shoulder: 55-70 cm Weight: 12.8 kg to 16.8 kg (M) 9.3 kg to 11.2 kg (F) Individuals with twice this weight have been observed ![]() Diet The Iberian Lynx eats European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) almost exclusively (93% of prey by weight during the summer), needing approximately one rabbit per day to satisfy its energy requirements (Nowell & Jackson 1996). Lacking rabbits, the Lynx will hunt and eat young deer, mouflon, duck and other birds, fish and, possibly, foxes. Behaviour The Iberian Lynx is, above all, nocturnal and hunts at first light. It can swim well, climbs trees excellently and covers, on average, a distance of 7 kms daily. ![]() It has extremely acute vision and will pursue its prey for large distances. It is generally a solitary animal but has been observed hunting in groups. Prey is usually carried a considerable distance before being eaten and the remains are always buried. A variety of locations are utilised for breeding and rearing its young, including depressions under the spine covered thickets (where it makes nests of grass and twigs), burrows, hollow trees and even old stork's nests. The Iberian Lynx is extraordinarily specialised at trophic and habitat levels. It feeds almost exclusively on wild rabbit and occurs in areas of dense scrub and woodland where human presence is practically non-existent, namely in the native Mediterranean Scrub of the centre and south of the peninsula which is constituted mainly of holm-oak, cork and arbutus. Its rarity, together with its solitary and elusive behaviour, makes its observation, and even its detection, very difficult. Consequently, its existence in a specific region can pass completely unnoticed, even by people who have lived there all their lives. http://lynxpardinus.naturlink.pt/engindex.html Note the 'beard'.
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| Taipan | Jan 10 2012, 02:49 PM Post #2 |
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![]() Fox and Lynx in Doñana National Park CAT NEWS Issue 6, Spring 1987 by J.R. Rau et al. J.R. Rau, J.F. Beltran and M. Delibes of the Doñana Ecological Station in southwestern Spain presented a paper on a study of the relationship of fox and lynx in the Doñana National Park at a Seminar in October 1985 on the Ecopathology of Wild and Errant Dogs in the Palaearctic Zone. The following is their summary: The number of red foxes Vulpes vulpes has increased dramatically over the last few years in the Doñana National Park, whereas a noticeable decrease in the numbers of lynx Lynx pardina has apparently taken place during the same period. The most popular (but rather naive) interpretation of the opposite population trends of foxes and lynx at Doñana correlates these trends and interprets the present situation as a displacement of lynx by an "invasion" of foxes. Such an idea could seem far-fetched to Central and Northern European naturalists, but we must remember that the Spanish lynx is only half the weight of the European lynx. While this hypothesis fails to explain why such an invasion did not occur before, considering the long history of sympatry of both species in the areas, it appears from the data presented in this paper that lynx and fox use different resources. However, the present day partitioning of resources can be viewed as due to a lack of actual competition, as well as an end-result of competition itself. On the other hand, in a stable system, it would be expected that the larger and more efficient predator, in this case the lynx, would displace the smaller and more opportunistic predator, the fox, as seems has been the case in the past. Therefore we should look for an alternative explanation, the appearance of a new disruptive factor operating in the area since the end of the 1970s. In connection with this, an hypothesis could be put forward -- up to now lynx controlled fox numbers by interference competition (we know of cases of foxes killed by lynx), and were themselves controlled by rabbit availability (in other species of the genus no young survive at low prey density and in our study area no young apparently survived the autumn of 1982). Thus, a persisting low density of rabbits could induce a decrease in the number of lynx, especially in areas where they were already scarce, i.e. scrubland, and favour the build-up of a growing fox population. A further recolonization of the scrubland by lynx could later be made difficult because of competition with a number of foxes much higher than before. Some other factors can also be put forward to explain both the drop in rabbit numbers, i.e. the severe drought which took place between 1979 and 1983; a new outbreak of myxomatosis; the absence of scrub management etc, and the ability of fox to quickly invade the "emptied" areas, i.e. increased human disturbance in the reserve; increased availability of carrion due to the drought etc. Some alternative hypotheses can also be put forward -- the lynx numbers could decrease in consequence of increased poaching, or of a greater probability of being killed by cars. However, these hypotheses require further research to be proved or falsified. In any case, high fox numbers seem to be more a consequence than a cause of the present low density of the lynx population. At present we feel that the control of foxes would probably not have any noticeable effect on the lynx population. (J.R. Rau, J.F. Beltran and M. Delibes, Estacion Biologica de Doñana, CSIC, 41013 Sevilla, Spain) http://lynx.uio.no/lynx/nancy/news/cn06_01.htm body and skull measurements ![]() ![]() Iberian lynx: Radical moves for world's rarest cat By Rebecca Morelle Science reporter, BBC News 28 October 2010 Last updated at 04:14 GMT It appears out of nowhere, stealthily slinking into view and well camouflaged against the dry Mediterranean backdrop. We have been waiting in a cramped hide since the crack of dawn. And having been told that the chance of getting a glimpse of one of these beasts is vanishingly small, we have almost given up hope. But suddenly, there it is: the most endangered cat on the planet, the Iberian lynx. For just a second, it stops, staring at us with its kohl-rimmed, yellow eyes. It is about a metre long, with a short, sand-coloured coat and leopard-like spots; it has large paws and a short, bobbed tail. Then, distracted by a rustle in the grass, its huge black-tufted ears twitch. It crouches, pounces, and emerges back into sight a second later with a rabbit dangling from its mouth. And, as quickly as it appeared, it is gone, blending back into the forest with its prized meal. The Iberian lynx has suffered a catastrophic drop in numbers We are in Andujar, in Andalucia, Spain, which along with the Donana National Park, just south of Seville, is one of the last isolated pockets where the Iberian lynx can be seen. This cat was once common across the whole of the Iberian peninsula, but from the 1960s its numbers plummeted, dropping from an estimated 3,000 to approximately 150 in 2005. Habitat loss, poaching and road accidents all helped to push this cat to the brink of extinction. Disease outbreaks in the cat's main food source - wild rabbits - have added to the woe. In the past decade, frantic efforts have been under way to conserve the last few cats. Some of these approaches have been quite straightforward, such as implementing supplementary feeding stations that are used to boost the cat's diet when rabbit numbers are low - like the spot where we had been lucky enough to spy our wild lynx that morning. ![]() Taking some wild lynx into captivity was a tough decision But conservationists have had to get radical, too. In La Olivilla, in Jaen, some lynx have been taken from the wild and placed in captivity with one key purpose: to breed. Mariajo Perez, who runs the centre, tells me that this is not something that conservationists do lightly. But the situation was so bad, they were left with little choice. She says: "It's worked really well so far. Our cats have been breeding really successfully - we have had eight cubs this year." There are now about 40 cats in the centre, and other captive breeding centres in Andalucia have also managed to give a much needed boost to lynx numbers. But the next challenge is to release the cats back into the wild, which could start next year. Guillermo Lopez, from the Lynx Life project, knows all about moving animals. He and his colleagues have been relocating some of the wild cats from the Andujar region to another carefully selected site some kilometres away, in the hope of establishing a new population. He says: "So far, we have released six individuals - three males and three females. One of the females has had two cubs, so we feel very optimistic." ![]() The team has been looking for new sites for the lynx - but could they move even farther afield in the future? Moving animals from one place to another - or translocation - is becoming an increasingly common weapon in the conservationists' fight against extinction. It helps to build up new populations and to ensure genetic diversity among ever shrinking groups of animals. But scientists are now considering a much more controversial measure, which could one day mean that animals like the Iberian lynx are moved even farther afield. Chris Thomas, professor of conservation biology at the University of York, UK, says: "The problem is that as the climate changes, the places that are best to put such endangered species back are not necessarily the same places where they historically used to occur." He says that a changing climate will mean that some species will not be able to adapt or perhaps, due to geographical barriers, migrate to a new, more suitable home. So instead, scientists will do it for them: literally pack up whole populations of species to shift them elsewhere. It is an idea called assisted migration (or assisted colonisation). And it has many critics. Intentionally creating invasive and therefore potentially problematic species goes against just about every conservation convention. But the idea has been gaining momentum among some. Prof Thomas says: "When I first heard about this, my immediate reaction was that this is crazy. "But if we have a large number of species, potentially thousands, even hundreds of thousands, that are going to die out from climate change, we should at least ask the question: 'Is there anywhere else on Earth that they don't currently live in where they could in the future survive?'" ![]() Things are looking up for the Iberian lynx So far, examples of assisted migration have been few, but include a study that revealed the small skipper and marbled white butterflies did well when moved further north in the UK. But Prof Thomas argues that we must at least start thinking about the feasibility of these kinds of moves - even when it comes to animals like the Iberian lynx. He explains: "It is worth at least considering whether the Iberian lynx - this truly endangered species - could in the future find a home in, say, the British Isles. "Of course, the answer might be that this wouldn't work. But we should contemplate such things given that the climate is changing, and the best places for a species are now on the move." No place like home For now, at least, efforts to save the Iberian lynx look set to remain focused in its home domain. And scientists are optimistic about its future. Since 2005, numbers of wild lynx have steadily grown to around 300. Miguel Simon, director of the Lynx Life project, says: "In the 10 years that we have been working on its conservation, the population in the Sierra Morena has doubled, and there has been a 50% increase in Donana." The next step is to create three more populations in Portugal and Spain, at which point the cat would no longer be classed as critically endangered. And with this, Dr Simon says, this magnificent Mediterranean cat could finally lose its unfortunate claim to fame as the world's rarest feline, and instead become a symbol of conservation success. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11586279
Iberian Lynx Depends On Rabbits for Survival ScienceDaily (July 5, 2011) — Many species of carnivores, such as the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), depend on the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for their survival. Now Spanish and Argentinean researchers have evaluated how certain carnivores in Spain's Doñana National Park responded to the sudden collapse of the rabbit population in the 1980s. The results show that this decline primarily affected the lynx, which was unable to hunt other prey. The population of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), the main prey animal in Mediterranean ecosystems, collapsed when viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) arrived in the late 1980s. In order to find out what impact this population plunge had on the rabbits' predators, the researchers analysed the diet of the badger (Meles meles), fox (Vulpes vulpes), Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), genet (Genetta genetta) and Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). "All the carnivores reduced their consumption of rabbits following the arrival of VHD, although this reduction varied from one species to another," Pablo Ferreras, lead author of the study and a researcher at the Research Institute on Cynegetic Resources (IREC), a joint centre of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, the CSIC and the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, said. According to the study, which has been published in Basic and Applied Ecology, the greatest reduction in rabbit consumption was seen among the badger (falling from 71.8 to 26.2%) and the fox (from 20.2 to 9.8%). The fox altered its diet more significantly than any other carnivore in response to this decline, primarily substituting rabbits for ungulates (in the form of carrion), birds and small mammals. "The fox displayed a numerical response to the reduction in rabbits, declining in abundance during the five years following the arrival of VHD," Ferreras points out. However, the Egyptian mongoose and the genet did not reduce their consumption of rabbits to such a great extent, and their population numbers did not fall. The Iberian lynx, unable to change its prey Even though the rabbit number density was the lowest ever recorded in this area, the Iberian lynx "hardly reduced its consumption of rabbits, which continued to form the basis of 75% of its diet," explains Ferreras, saying that this shows the lynx is "by necessity a rabbit specialist." The lynx's social system altered too following the arrival of this rabbit disease -- the animals became less territorial and the size of the females' home ranges increased, while the sub-adults remained in the areas they had been born in. The critical situation of the Iberian lynx, considered to be one of the most highly endangered felines in the world, "was made even worse, if this is possible, by its inability to hunt non-rabbit prey." The researchers also point out that the lynx's social system was disturbed in the first year of the rabbit population collapse, as the juvenile animals did not disperse, which increased local density. The majority of rabbit populations in the Iberian Peninsula have not recovered from the collapse caused by this illness. Predation may be impacting on recovery, with rabbits having entered a low-density population balance regulated by predation. The scientists say that the scarcity of rabbits could "seriously" threaten specialist predators such as the lynx. The researchers are calling for management measures that would increase rabbit number density, through restocking programmes or habitat improvement, for example. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal Reference: Ferreras, Pablo; Travaini, Alejandro; Zapata, S. Cristina; Delibes, Miguel. Short-term responses of mammalian carnivores to a sudden collapse of rabbits in Mediterranean Spain. Basic and Applied Ecology, 12(2): 116-124, 2011 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705081111.htm Edited by Taipan, Jun 6 2012, 05:56 PM.
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| Taipan | Apr 13 2012, 03:26 PM Post #3 |
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Iberian lynx returns to the wild in Spain 12 April 2012 Last updated at 23:11 GMT By Rebecca Morelle Science reporter, BBC News, Andalucia ![]() Excitement ripples through the crowd that has gathered to catch a rare glimpse of the world's most endangered cat. With its lustrous, spotted coat, kohl-rimmed eyes and tufted ears, the Iberian lynx would not look out of place in Africa or Asia. But this is Europe's big cat. And the lynx that dozens of people have come out to see today could be the key to saving this species. The cat was once widespread across Spain and Portugal. But in 2005, its numbers plummeted to just 150, earning it the unenviable title of being the most threatened of the world's 36 wild cat species. One of the key factors in this animal's catastrophic decline was the loss of its main food source: rabbits, which were wiped out by disease. Habitat destruction has also been a major problem for the lynx. The situation was so desperate that conservationists in Spain were forced to take radical action: removing some of the cats from the wild and putting them into captivity to breed, in an attempt to boost numbers. Miguel Simon, director of the Lynx Life project, said: "The situation was really dramatic: there were only two populations left in the wild. "In order to preserve this species, we had to create a captive population in case the wild population became extinct." New home Understanding the reproductive behaviour of these shy and solitary cats has not been easy. But over the past five years, breeding centres in Juan and the Donana National Park, both in Andalucia, have been extremely successful and there are now around 100 cats in captivity. ![]() In 2005, numbers of Iberian lynx plummeted to just 150, but breeding schemes have been a success And in the wild, thanks to work to enhance the felines' habitat, numbers are up too - the population has grown to 300 cats. With this double success, conservationists are ready to put the next part of their rescue plan into action: releasing captive-born lynx into the wild. Dr Simon said: "The Iberian lynx is a key species in the Mediterranean ecosystem. It is a top predator, and if we preserve this species, we are preserving the whole ecosystem. "It is our heritage, and we have to preserve it for future generations." Lynx Life has carefully selected an area in Sierra Morena for the animals' new home. The habitat is perfectly suited to the felines: it is a hilly, forested region, packed with shade for the cats to sleep in when the fierce Spanish Sun becomes unbearably hot. Most importantly, though, there are plenty of rabbits - without them, the lynx cannot survive. Today, a large group of people have arrived to see how the cats respond to their new home. They are excited at the rare prospect of a positive news story for this beleaguered animal. Three young captive-born cats from La Olivilla breeding centre in Juan have been selected for the release. First steps The team from Lynx Life has given them a careful check-up, to ensure they are in good health. They have also been fitted with radio collars, allowing the conservationists to track their every move. Everything is riding on the success of today. If this goes well, the hope is that it will pull the Iberian lynx back from the brink of extinction. ![]() The cats are fitted with radio collars, which will allow the conservationists to track them and monitor their progress As the cats are released, they are a little confused at first, unsure of their new surroundings. But after tentatively taking a few steps, they bound into the wild, ready to explore their new home. Guillermo Lopez, a vet with the Lynx Life project, said: "Days like today, you feel incredible. This is the very first time a captive-bred individual has been released into the wild. "I am a bit scared because we don't know what is going to happen with her. It is a big change from being in captivity, but we have to try." The Lynx Life team admits that radical intervention like this is a last resort. But if it works, these cats could be the first of many to roam free once again. A total of 15 releases have taken place this year, and if new populations begin to establish, more and more of the captive cats will be introduced to the wild. Eventually, the conservationists would like to extend the scheme across Spain and Portugal. Dr Lopez said: "Just a few years ago, everything seemed so difficult, and now we are approaching the successful conservation of the species. "We are looking at the landscape, and thinking: 'Yes, we can do it'." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17297897 |
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| firefly | Apr 19 2012, 04:39 AM Post #4 |
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Many thanks, Taipan, for re-opening it. I´ll post some more data here later on. My investigation and cooperation with sos.lynx.org has now being reduced, because of many things. I´m more focused now on the iberian lynx captive breeding center results. But the field investigation, won´t stop. http://www.algarveresident.com/0-46322/algarve/seven-iberian-lynx-cubs-born-in-silves Update: It are seventeen now. Edited by firefly, Apr 19 2012, 05:23 AM.
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| firefly | May 2 2012, 11:44 PM Post #5 |
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http://linceiberico.icnb.pt/newsdetail.aspx?menuid=26&exmenuid=26&eid=328 Iberian lynx (Caribu), sad story ( in Portuguese). Iberian lynxes, according to some LIFE scientists, are still lurking the border of both Portugal and Spain ( in the South). This may be dispersing individuals, which are trying to find new territories. A new reserve is being established in the zone: http://projectos.lpn.pt/index2.php?id_projecto=16 |
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| firefly | Jul 22 2012, 03:58 AM Post #6 |
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News from the Silves captive breeding center: It borned 21 cubs, 17 did survived, 15 continued with their mothers and 2 are being raised artificially.
Edited by firefly, Jul 22 2012, 03:59 AM.
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| Taipan | Mar 26 2013, 02:42 PM Post #7 |
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Embryos of World's Most Endangered Cat Preserved for 1st Time Megan Gannon, News Editor Date: 24 March 2013 Time: 12:50 PM ET ![]() The Iberian lynx is the most endangered wild cat species worldwide. It seems counterintuitive that castration could help save a species facing extinction. But through removing the ovaries of a female Iberian lynx, scientists say they were able to collect and preserve embryos from the world's most endangered wild cat for the first time. Conservationists are hoping the fertilized eggs could be implanted into a surrogate mother of a closely related species, possibly a Eurasian lynx female. Even one successful surrogate pregnancy could be a boost for felines, whose declining population had been estimated to be less than 200 a decade ago. One Iberian lynx named Azahar, which was part of a breeding program in Silves, Portugal, had problems giving birth and underwent two emergency Caesarean sections in two consecutive pregnancies. Conservationists decided that, for health reasons, they shouldn't try breeding Azahar again and the cat's ovaries were removed by castration. But immediately after Azahar's castration surgery, scientists say they obtained embryos and ovarian pieces from the feline in a process adapted from one used on domestic cats. "Seven days after mating we expected to flush embryos from the uterus," Katarina Jewgenow, a specialist from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin, said in a statement. But instead, the oocytes (unfertilized eggs) and embryos had to be flushed out of the oviducts. This told the team something new about Iberian lynxes — their embryos develop more slowly than those of domestic cats. The group of specialists also intervened when scientists decided to castrate a female Iberian lynx in captivity in Doñana, Spain. Named Saliega, this cat was relatively old (12 years), already gave birth to 16 cubs, and developed a mammary tumor last summer after her last lactating period. "From her we only flushed unfertilized eggs, thus the male was not fertile," Natalia Mikolaewska, an IZW doctoral student, said in a statement. But the team was at least able to recover and freeze those oocytes, which could later be fertilized and implanted in a surrogate. "The next step we are discussing right now is to implant these embryos into a foster mother, which might be an Eurasian lynx female," said Jewgenow. The Iberian lynx is the only wild cat to be listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and IZW is working with the Iberian lynx Conservation Breeding Program to help save them. If reviving a dying species sounds ambitious, consider the scientists who are trying to bring back animals that are already extinct. Biologists did actually resurrect the extinct Pyrenean ibex in 2003 by creating a clone from a frozen tissue sample harvested before the goat's entire population vanished in 2000. But that clone only survived for a few minutes after birth. Researchers gathered in Washington, D.C., on March 15 for a forum called TEDxDeExtinction, hosted by the National Geographic Society, to dive into some of the practical and ethical questions surrounding current efforts to revive animals that have been dead for much longer than the Pyrenean ibex, such as the passenger pigeon and woolly mammoth. http://www.livescience.com/28123-iberian-lynx-eggs-collected.html |
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| firefly | May 5 2013, 11:16 AM Post #8 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbReVqcxn6Q&feature=youtu.be Edited by Taipan, May 5 2013, 08:57 PM.
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| Taipan | Jul 23 2013, 04:37 PM Post #9 |
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Climate Change Could Wipe Out Iberian Lynx By Tia Ghose, Staff Writer | July 21, 2013 01:00pm ET ![]() The Iberian lynx, with two small and isolated populations and about 300 individuals left, is considered the most endangered felid in the world. Climate change could ensure the wipe out of the Iberian Lynx, considered the world's most endangered cat, new research from Spain suggests. Currently, about 300 of these adorable, pointy-eared, shaggy-bearded cats live in Spain and Portugal, dining mostly on rabbits. But according to a study publishing today (July 21) in the journal Nature Climate Change, warming temperatures and an increasingly dry local climate could kill off their staple food, making their extinction certain. Reintroducing the animals farther north could spare the population and even help it rebound, said study co-author Miguel Bustos Araújo, a biogeographer at the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. "If you do what you're currently doing, you'd end up with an extinct animal in the wild by the end of the century," Araújo said. "If you take climate change into account, the population increases from 300 to 800 by the end of the century." One-ingredient diet The Iberian lynx, a predator about four times the size of the average housecat, once roamed throughout Spain and Portugal. But because 90 percent of the lynx's diet comes from rabbits, two diseases that decimated rabbit populations in the 20th century also took their toll on the lynx. Poaching and habitat loss also contributed to the lynx population's plummet. Now, the lynx is the world's most endangered cat and its range is confined to two small regions of Andalusia in southwestern Spain. Conservation programs have spent nearly $123 million trying to reintroduce the cats into native habitats in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Climate stress But Araújo and his colleagues aren't convinced that those programs could work. The researchers used climate change models to predict how the rabbit population could fare, and then integrated that with population models relating the Iberian lynx population to its main prey. In its current enclaves, hotter temperatures and less rainfall are predicted to reduce the amount of herbs available for rabbits to eat, Araújo said. That would reduce the rabbit population, which would drive down the lynx population down as well. By the end of the century, the lynx could be extinct, the researchers said. But there is a bright spot: By shifting reintroduction programs further north, the endangered species could not only survive climate change, but rebound, the researchers found. This suggests that that conservation programs in general should account for climate change, Araújo said. "One the one hand, conservation is demanding changes in the whole economy, less carbon emissions," Araújo said. "But when they have a program, they usually forget about climate change." - See more at: http://www.livescience.com/38330-climate-change-iberian-lynx-extinction.html#sthash.peNh6sQ6.dpuf Adapted conservation measures are required to save the Iberian lynx in a changing climate D. A. Fordham, H. R. Akçakaya, B. W. Brook, A. Rodríguez, P. C. Alves, E. Civantos, M. Triviño, M. J. Watts & M. B. Araújo Nature Climate Change (2013) doi:10.1038/nclimate1954 Received 31 January 2013 Accepted 11 June 2013 Published online 21 July 2013 ABSTRACT The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) has suffered severe population declines in the twentieth century and is now on the brink of extinction1. Climate change could further threaten the survival of the species, but its forecast effects are being neglected in recovery plans. Quantitative estimates of extinction risk under climate change have so far mostly relied on inferences from correlative projections of species’ habitat shifts. Here we use ecological niche models coupled to metapopulation simulations with source–sink dynamics, to directly investigate the combined effects of climate change, prey availability and management intervention on the persistence of the Iberian lynx. Our approach is unique in that it explicitly models dynamic bi-trophic species interactions in a climate change setting. We show that anticipated climate change will rapidly and severely decrease lynx abundance and probably lead to its extinction in the wild within 50 years, even with strong global efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In stark contrast, we also show that a carefully planned reintroduction programme, accounting for the effects of climate change, prey abundance and habitat connectivity, could avert extinction of the lynx this century. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, why considering prey availability, climate change and their interaction in models is important when designing policies to prevent future biodiversity loss. http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1954.html |
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| Taipan | Jun 13 2014, 05:35 PM Post #10 |
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Iberian Lynx in Crisis: Virus Outbreak Threatens the World’s Most Endangered Cat Posted by Cheryl Lyn Dybas in Cat Watch on June 12, 2014 ![]() Are the last Iberian lynx roaming Spanish brushlands? (Photograph by Pete Oxford/Wild Wonders of Europe/WWF) Hidden in the marshes and mountains of southwestern Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, the last Iberian lynx may be quietly padding into history. The lynx’s future depends on whether its sole prey, the European rabbit, can survive an outbreak of a disease known as rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). A new variant of RHDV has arrived with a vengeance, leaving dead rabbits across Iberia—and lynx with little to eat. RHDV has appeared at least twice before in other variants, and has caused precipitous declines in rabbit populations. The new strain will further bottom-out rabbit numbers. As a result, the critically endangered Iberian lynx may be the first feline to go extinct since the saber-toothed tiger millennia ago. Iberian lynx are on the brink, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. ![]() On-the-chase: an Iberian lynx in hot pursuit of its prey (Photograph by Iberian Lynx Ex-situ Conservation Programme) Former Heyday of a Rabbit-Hunter In the 1800s, lynx were found across the Iberian Peninsula from Portugal through Spain and into southern France. A century later, life for Iberian lynx was still reasonably good. As recently as the 1980s, more than 1,100 lynx in Spain successfully hunted rabbits. Then came habitat fragmentation from agricultural and industrial development. Now just two or three small groups of Iberian lynx likely survive, all in Spain. To the west in Portugal, the only Iberian lynx are ghosts. A search conducted in 2002 found a landscape empty of lynx. ![]() Iberian lynx feeding young must snag three rabbits each day (Photograph by Iberian Lynx Ex-situ Conservation Programme) In 2009, things began to turn around. Through a captive-breeding and reintroduction program in Spain, Iberian lynx rebounded from a low of about 100 to 319 cats. Most prowl in marshes in Donana National Park and brushlands in the Sierra Morena Mountains, the species’ stronghold—for now. “In the last year, the effects of the rabbit disease began to be seen,” said Ramon Perez de Ayala, species program director at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Spain. “If the trend continues, 2014 will be disastrous. Iberian lynx will decline if the situation doesn’t improve.” An annual Iberian lynx census gets underway this month; a rabbit count is planned for fall. ![]() An unlucky rabbit, but a lucky Iberian lynx, one of the few such lynx to find a healthy rabbit (Photograph by Pete Oxford/Wild Wonders of Europe/WWF) Felled By Its Rabbit Prey Rabbits make up 90 percent of an Iberian lynx’s diet. A lynx requires at least one rabbit each day; mother lynx with young need about three. But for lynx on the hunt, catching rabbits has become almost impossible. The new strain of RHDV, often fatal, gets there first. In 2011, the variant was identified in rabbits in Spain. It was similar to one found in 2010 in France. Then in late 2012 and early 2013 it jumped to rabbits in Portugal. “The rapid spread of this variant into Iberian wild rabbit populations raises questions about their survival, and that of Iberian lynx,” said biologist Pedro Esteves of the Universidade do Porto in Portugal. He and other scientists detailed the strain’s emergence in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. ![]() Watching and waiting: an Iberian lynx looks across a Spanish scrubland (Photograph by Iberian Lynx Ex-situ Conservation Programme) Two subspecies of wild European rabbits live on the Iberian Peninsula: Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus and Oryctolagus cuniculus cuniculus. They’re both susceptible to RHDV; 80 to 90 percent have already succumbed. Conservation concerns are at fever pitch for Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus. The rabbit lives only on the southwestern part of the peninsula; its range overlaps neatly with that of the Iberian lynx. “Monitoring the spread and evolution of the new RHDV variant is crucial for rabbits and for lynx,” said Esteves. “What we don’t know for certain is if the virus, which is very specific to rabbits, could be transmitted to Iberian lynx. ” It’s unlikely, he added. “It would take a huge mutation in the virus, but no one has really looked at this yet, at least in Iberia.” Earlier studies of RHDV in Australia showed that the virus didn’t infect species beyond rabbits. For Iberian lynx, it’s winner take all in a game not of cat-and-mouse, but virus-and-rabbit. Will RHDV forever close the golden-green eyes of the Iberian lynx? http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/06/12/iberian-lynx-in-crisis-virus-outbreak-threatens-the-worlds-most-endangered-cat/ |
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| Cape Leopard | Jun 13 2014, 08:35 PM Post #11 |
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Heterotrophic Organism
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With the rabbit plague in Australia and the Iberian lynx in such dire straits, maybe it is time to put aside idealism and introduce the Iberian Lynx to certain fenced-in areas in Australia and/or Britain where they can feed on rabbits, or else take rabbits from Australia/Britain and reintroduce them en masse back in Spain. Either way, it's time to be pragmatic and creative in the conservation of this beautiful cat. |
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| Scalesofanubis | Jun 14 2014, 03:50 AM Post #12 |
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Omnivore
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Ummm. No. You'd end up with Iberian Lynx probably switching in large part to marsupial prey when the rabbits bust and wreaking havoc. Better to trap and ship Australian rabbits to Spain (which has it's own serious problems). |
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| maestro tomberi | Jun 14 2014, 05:42 AM Post #13 |
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Hedonist & Epicure
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That would be no good either. Mixomatosis would kill them too. |
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| Cape Leopard | Jun 15 2014, 09:43 PM Post #14 |
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Heterotrophic Organism
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Australian rabbits are largely immune to myxomatosis. It's time to think outside the box when it comes to conservation of rare animals on the brink of extinction. Australia will never again be the place of the marsupials like it once was - the feral cat and the fox are there to stay. The Iberian Lynx is a rabbit specialist where it survives in Iberia so I doubt this basic fact of its biology would change were it relocated to Australia. I'm proposing it be introduced to certain, fenced-in places in Australia where there are little to no native populations of small marsupials due to the impacts of feral rabbits, cats and foxes. |
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| firefly | Jul 2 2014, 09:46 AM Post #15 |
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Herbivore
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«To the west in Portugal, the only Iberian lynx are ghosts. A search conducted in 2002 found a landscape empty of lynx.» Then I have the pleasure to post the picture of a «ghost» that was taken last May, in Southwest Portugal (not very far from the beach): ![]() Plus, in 2003 it was found excrement of an iberian lynx in Portugal (article in Portuguese): http://naturlink.sapo.pt/article.aspx?menuid=2&cid=938&bl=1§ion=4&viewall=true#Go_4 I see that the article «Iberian Lynx in Crisis: Virus Outbreak Threatens the World’s Most Endangered Cat» is recent, so I wonder how they ignored the finding done right after 2002. Just to have an idea of the reality: an investigation was led by only 1 investigator (yes, it´s true), he tried to look for the iberian lynx presence in Portugal, though he have had some help from vollunteers, there were too few people involved to cover really big distances and they did only day walks and put some traps. They didn´t even asked locals for possible sightings. The research lasted years but no lynxes were found. In 2003, a new research (done by a groups of scientists (CBA from the Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa) promptly found iberian lynx scats. Why the results were so good and rapidly obtained? Because the researchers included local interviews on their search for possible lynx «hotspots». Plus, even LIFE (projects) staff, that was working on the Portuguese border with Spain, said that they knew that lynxes were ocasionally in the area. Unfortunately and after the 2003 finding, no more investigations were done. If an attempt is made to present this issue, usually it is ignored or even deleted. Seemingly there are some strange interests, behind all this. More recently some lynxes images appeared on the TV, either by neck collar or camera trap detection, so people did started to wake up a bit, but now the interest is all on the reintroduction (from the Silves captive breeding project), that according to the government, is about to be taken in few time. Even if possibly there are still some lynxes in Portugal, they would need more company. Edited by firefly, Jul 2 2014, 09:53 AM.
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