Four small Iberian lynx cubs were rescued last Saturday, March 18, after their mother died after being run over on the A-3101 road in Montoro, in the province of Córdoba.
Juan Ramón Pérez Valenzuela, general director of Forest Policy and Biodiversity of the Junta de Andalucía, confirmed to Cordópolis that they received a notice on Friday, March 17, about the death of the female lynx named Nava, who had recently given birth.
In response, a search device was organized that included Seprona, Environment agents and a canine unit. The team was able to locate the puppies together and in good condition on Saturday morning, the 18th. The puppies, who are about a week old, were taken to the recovery center of La Olivilla in the province of Jaén.
The Sierra de Cardeña-Montoro, in the province of Córdoba, is one of the designated areas within the reintroduction program for the Iberian lynx in Andalusia, together with the Andújar and Marmolejo mountains, in the province of Jaén. Last year, these areas had the largest number of lynx in Spain, with around 200 specimens.
Each Iberian lynx death is sad news because it is a critically endangered species. It is the world’s most endangered cat, and its population has declined dramatically in recent decades due to habitat loss, poaching, and disease.
Therefore, each specimen of the Iberian lynx is valuable for the survival of the species and its death means an irreparable loss in the fight for its conservation. In addition, the Iberian lynx is an emblematic and representative animal of the Iberian fauna, so its disappearance would have a negative impact on the ecosystem. For these reasons, it is essential to take measures to protect the Iberian lynx and guarantee its long-term survival.
