An Iberian lynx female and cub drowned in Guadiana Valley (Portugal)

'Malva' and 'Oriana', two specimens of the Guadiana Valley lynx nucleus (Portugal), were found dead on Wednesday, August 29th, in an olive grove irrigation pond.

Both specimens were found during a lynx monitoring action of the Guadiana Valley breeding nucleus, carried out by the Nature Conservation Department’s Nature Watchers, of the Alentejo Forests. These two lynxes were identified as 'Malva', three years old, and 'Oriana', one of Malva’s first daughters, barely a year old.

Despite the owner’s concern regarding available means of escape from said pond, the sudden drop in the water level due to irrigation made the ramp inaccessible, resulting in this accident.

'Malva' was one of the most prolific females of the 'in situ' programme, having given birth to eight viable offspring in two breeding seasons. She left four orphan cubs that are already able to survive without their mother. In the coming days, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) will monitor these youngsters more intensively.

Regarding the typology of the incident, the ICNF will carry out efforts in view of eventual similar risk situations in areas within lynx territories, in addition to diligences to install other escape structures in the pond where the deceased animals were found.

Despite this incident, the lynx population of the Guadiana Valley is expanding both in territory and population, comprising at least 23 offspring born in the wild this year.