Great attendance at the Iberian lynx nocturnal excursion in Hinojos (Huelva)

Fiscal highlighted the importance of sensitizing populations living in areas inhabited by the species through this type of educational activities

Last Friday, June 27th, the Minister of Environment and Territorial Planning, José Fiscal, along with 200 hikers, participated in the Iberian Lynx nocturnal hike activities in Hinojos (Huelva) organized by Iberlince.

Within the scope of its informative actions, the Life+Iberlince project 'Recovery of the historical distribution of the Iberian lynx in Spain and Portugal' programmed a series educational, awareness-raising activities promoting social engagement, from which the hikes stand out. This initiative aims to raise social awareness regarding the importance of the recovery and conservation of endangered species, especially among inhabitants of municipalities within the feline distribution area.

This is the fourth hike organized by Iberlince in the last two months, through the Jaén, Córdoba and Huelva provinces. These hikes also aim to assist citizens who wish to explore the Iberian lynx territories on foot, one of the area’s most emblematic species.

Before the hike, participants attended a talk on the subject headed by the project technicians who accompanied the hikers throughout the tour. During the trip they also imparted essential information regarding the Iberian lynx’s biology and ecology, as well as actions carried out by the Life Iberlince project in the area. This way, attendees were able to take full advantage of the nocturnal excursion.

Within the scope of this activity, the minister stressed that protecting the Iberian lynx not only saves a species from extinction, but also conserves an ecosystem - the Mediterranean forest - and generates positive economic activity, which in turn can lead to social benefits such as encouraging populations to remain in their villages. "Our intention is also to associate the lynx’s presence in a territory with an environmental quality stamp”, he added, stating that “there’s already an emergence of small companies related to these guided hikes, nature photography, etc.".

In 2002, the Regional Government of Andalusia launched the first Iberian lynx recovery program. At that time, less than 100 specimens remained in the Iberian Peninsula, all of them in Andalusia. Seventeen years later, the figure has risen to 593, of which 448 are in Andalusian lands, and the rest in different areas of the peninsula.