Iberian lynx has relatively short, coarse fur that is tawny to bright yellowish red, with brown or black spots and a white underside. They have a significant characteristic of a “beard” around their face and black ear tufts. Their primary prey is rabbits; a male consumes one rabbit daily, while a female needs three rabbits daily when raising her kittens.

Their population shrunk drastically until 20 years ago, which marked the worst point of fewer than 100 animals remaining in 2002. Their most significant threat is habitat destruction and the destruction of their prey. They are also often killed by cars and traps set for rabbits. The population number starts to increase after conservation measures have been implemented.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Portugal

2014

Reintroduced:

Spain

2014