Ministry of Environment awards works in the amount of EUR 692,458 euros to improve the Iberian lynx habitat and encourage connection between the Peninsula’s populations

The Ministry of Environment and Territorial Planning of the Regional Government of Andalusia, through the Directorate-General for Environmental and Protected Areas Management, has awarded the project EUR 692,458 for actions to promote the connection between the Iberian lynx population in Andalusia and other populations across the Peninsula.

These actions, co-financed by the European Union through the LIFE program, consist of the creation of fences for wild rabbit repopulation in connection areas, which link Sierra Morena-Ciudad Real and Córdoba-Sierra Norte-Matachel Valley. These fences contribute to the improvement of the Iberian lynx habitat, while promoting connection between specimens from different areas where this species is present, from Andalusia to all other areas in the Peninsula that are inhabited by the lynx.

In this regard, it should be noted that, within the LIFE Iberlince project 'Recovery of the historical distribution of the Iberian lynx in Spain and Portugal' (2011-2018), there are five selected Iberian lynx reintroduction areas, distributed in Andalusia (Guarrizas Valley and Guadalmellato Valley), Castilla-La Mancha (Montes de Toledo and Eastern Sierra Morena), Extremadura (Matachel Valley) and Portugal (Guadiana Valley).

Each of this conservation project’s actions aimed to protect and reintroduce the Iberian lynx, while generating positive economic impacts in the areas where the project is present. These impacts translate into direct and indirect jobs, in activity for local businesses (creation of small rural businesses, associated with gastronomy, nature photography or hiking) and, of course, also benefit the tourism sector.

Since the beginning of the LIFE Iberlince project, in 2011, over 65,000 temporary jobs and 70 permanent jobs have been generated in the Andalusian community, thus confirming that the conservation of this feline constitutes an important source of wealth and employment for Andalusia.