Fiscal declares the Iberian lynx conservation a success due to the collective commitment of those involved

Yesterday, during the opening of the international seminar on Iberian lynx conservation and social conflicts, organized by the Life Iberlince project, the Minister of Environment and Territorial Planning, José Fiscal, stated that the lynx’s protection and specimen increase over the last years is a "success" due to the "collective commitment that involved many landowners and their neighbours".

Fiscal further announced that, once the current European Life+Iberlince project (2011-2018) ends, a new project will be created to advance this animal’s protection and strengthen its populations.

The minister analysed the latest census data, which sets the number of specimens at 593, of which 448 are in Andalusia, and stated that this "not only shows that the population increased six fold over the last ten years, but also that there is a fluid exchange of specimens between the different reintroduction areas. "

In his speech, the Minister of the Environment also reviewed the program’s main milestones, referencing how it managed to stabilize the population and prevent its disappearance, as well as promote breeding and the creation of new populations in Andalusia and beyond.

There are currently five Iberian lynx reintroduction areas, distributed in Andalusia (Valle del Guarrizas and Valle del Guadalmellato), Castilla-La Mancha (Montes de Toledo and Eastern Sierra Morena), Extremadura (Matachel Valley) and Portugal (Guadiana Valley). All of these areas were selected for their habitat quality, high volume of wild rabbit populations and strong social support for reintroduction; the Council assessed that over 90 per cent of the local population supported reintroduction.

"Each of the 'Life Naturaleza' and 'Iberlince' projects’ actions were aimed at the feline’s conservation and reintroduction, all of which designed with the utmost respect for the territory’s inhabitants, framed to have their support, and outlined to adapt to traditional uses”, said Fiscal in this regard, also stressing that, in order to achieve these goals, teamwork between Portugal and Spain, and Extremadura, Castilla -La Mancha, Murcia and Andalusia played an essential role.

In addition, he reiterated that efforts were made to raise awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, and how "it can contribute and does contribute to the local economy". In this regard, Fiscal argued that the Ministry’s policies must be environmentally sustainable, and socially profitable, because "this path cannot be ignored in order for these actions to be fruitful."
Fiscal expanded on the fact that, additionally, a new participation formula was established regarding the management of the Iberian lynx and its habitat between the administration, estate owners and managers of land inhabited by Iberian lynx, hunters and hunting reserves.

These agreements were based on wild rabbit and lynx habitat improvements in exchange for sustainable management of their estates and the preservation of certain protective conditions.

The Council concluded that the 'Life+Iberlince' project is now coming to an end, following its recognition as "one of the most successful European programs developed" so far, while Fiscal recalled, in his speech, that the previous 'Life' (2006- 2011) was recently distinguished as the "best initiative in its category" carried out in the EU in the last 25 years.