Iberian lynx is regarded as the most endangered felines in the world. This may take as long as 3 years or may, in fact, never happen. eats terrestrial vertebrates; Animal Foods; birds; mammals; Predation. They hide in the bushes and only usually need to launch a few meters towards their prey. Posted by Fajat Maikan - 9:02 AM - The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is a wild cat species native to the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe that is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. They have also been known to eat a few different species of deer when presented with the opportunity, namely sick or young animals. As a result, they may serve as reliable bioindicators of ecosystem health. The Iberian lynx preys foremost on the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for the bulk of its diet, supplemented by red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), rodents and to a smaller degree also on wild ungulates. In 2002, fewer than 50 adults remained in Spain, while none were detected in Portugal. Eurasian lynx kittens, like this one, are usually born in early spring. © 2020 WWF - World Wide Fund For Nature© 1986 Panda Symbol WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund)® “WWF” is a WWF Registered Trademark Creative Commons license. Its main competition for rabbits, the fox, has a more varied diet. Its diet primarily consists of rabbits and hare, but will hunt deer, ducks, and fish. Housing developments and expansion of urban areas pose a huge threat to the lynx’s habitat, along with wood plantation and crops. They hide in the bushes and only usually need to launch a few meters towards their prey. Traveling in packs doesn't suit this feline. The Iberian lynx has lost more than 80% of its range. To overcome the challenge of the drastically decreased European Rabbit population, which takes up 80% of the Iberian's diet. You may think that with their dwindling numbers that these cats would band together but Independence is this Lynx's middle name. A female wait until her territory is established before she breeds. They tend to stick to these small sized prey but there are times when they will take down small deer, ducks, and fox. It sometimes preys on young fallow deer (Dama dama), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), and ducks. They also consume large amounts of rabbits and birds. Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub, 2. This species is classified as Endangered (EN), but its numbers are increasing today. Spanish or Iberian lynx Today they reside in Andujár-Cardeña and Doñana National Park in the Spanish autonomic region of Andaluzia. The Iberian lynx is a fussy eater. In March 2005 an Iberian lynx successfully bred in in captivity for the first time. +- This lynx was once numerous throughout the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). This dependence on … The home ranges of adults are stable over many years. They commonly eat voles, grouse, ptarmigans, turkeys, snowshoe hares, mice, squirrels, fish, foxes, sheep, and goats. The species generally lives between an altitude of 400 m and 1,300 m. © 1986 Panda Symbol WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund). There are three distinct individual coat patterns, and the belly fur is lightly coloured. The Iberian lynx’s largest threat is habitat destruction, and also the destruction of its prey. A male Iberian lynx needs to eat one rabbit a day, but the female, when raising her kittens, needs three. Iberian Lynx - Iberian Lynx Diet. Independence: Lynx's are naturally aggressive and territorial and with little territory to go around. Its relatively short, coarse coat is tawny to bright yellowish-red, with black or brown spots and white underparts. The Iberian lynx is a fussy eater. A new cranial fossil attributable to the species Lynx pardinus (Temminck, 1827) attests to the presence of this felid in the late Early Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula. If rabbits are scarce deer and mouflon are hunted. However, this proportion can change depending on the season. A superb, stealthy hunter, the lynx’s specialty is catching rabbits, which account for up to 90% of its diet. Iberian Lynx - Iberian Lynx Diet. the wild population [of lynx] is now estimated to be nearly 500. Brown Bear. The Iberian lynx’s main prey is the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), which it relies on for the bulk of its diet. Gestation lasts about 60 days and the female bears 2 - 3 kittens. Iberian lynxes used to be widespread throughout the south of France and the Iberian Peninsula. The mainstay of the Iberian lynx diet is rabbit. Posted by Morgan - 9:32 AM - The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is a wild cat species native to the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe that is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus have a coat colour of yellowish to reddish-brown, patterned with many dark brown or black spots of varying size. While an adult lynx needs about one rabbit a day, a mother raising her young needs to catch about 3. They mostly prey on the European rabbit for most of their diet, supplementing it with deer, partridge, and rodents. If any prey is uneaten the Lynx bury's it and comes back tomorrow to finish it. There are many different types of food for the Iberian Lynx to consider. The female will give birth to two to three young after a nine week gestation period. Being rather smaller than most species of lynx, it remains incapable of attacking larger prey. It sometimes preys on young fallow deer (Dama dama), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), mouflon (Ovis orientalis), and ducks. Their hunting strategy is based on stalking. FAMILY LIFE. Although now there are over 400, their numbers are still declining in Doñana National Park—a reserve in Andalusia, southern Spain—from 93 in 2013 to only 76 in 2015. The most rare of the lynx species, the Iberian lynx, is the most threatened cat species, currently on the verge of extinction. DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2015.07.001 … It is also known as the Spanish lynx or the Pardel lynx. By the 1990s, there were only two small populations of Iberian lynx living on the peninsula, one in Montes de Toledo and the other in Sierra Morena. The N-420, which saw two lynxes hit last year, is already being modified to be safer for the wildcats. An intense conservation campaign has brought the Iberian lynx back to the south of Spain from the verge of extinction barely 10 years ago, Guy Hedgecoe reports from Spain. In addition to their dependence on European rabbits as prey, Iberian lynx have very specific habitat requirements. Males are larger than females, both having prominent whiskers, a characteristic "beard" encircling their face and distinctive black ear tufts. Iberian lynx is regarded as the most endangered felines in the world. The leading photographs show an Iberian lynx along a Spanish highway, a civet cat taking a backpack ride in India, and an animal rescuer caring for orphaned bats in Australia. In the wild, their preferred diet is deer and other hoofed animals. The brown bear features a fur coat ranging from yellow-brownish to dark brown. Despite its speed and agility, it has a monastic diet, feeding almost exclusively on rabbits. Threats: land development, hunting, disease. The Iberian lynx is a carnivorous animal, with 90% of its diet consisting of hares. Amongst these, the lagomorph Oryctolagus cuniculus predominates, allowing Lynx pardinus to be considered as a super-specialist predator ( Ferrer and Negro, 2004 ). Housing developments and expansion of urban areas pose a huge threat to the lynx’s habitat, along with wood plantation and crops. It is also known as the Spanish lynx or the Pardel lynx. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is an endangered species native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe. Due to this, they could act as reliable bioindicators of the health of their particular ecosystem. The mainstay of the Iberian lynx diet is rabbit. The Iberian lynx preys foremost on the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for the bulk of its diet, supplemented by red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), rodents and to a smaller degree also on wild ungulates. When the Iberian's hunt and it has meat leftover from it's prey it will store it somewhere safe. The Iberian Lynx is a carnivore and mainly eats rabbits but also eats small mammals and birds. Aside from depending on European rabbits as their food source, Iberian lynx have very particular habitat requirements. (I accept). Deer and mouflon are prey when rabbits are scarce. Threats: land development, hunting, disease. The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) represents more than 80% of their diet, so the Iberian lynx is completely dependent on its existence to survive. This version of the page will remain live for reference purposes as we work to update the content across our website. When food sources are low though they will venture long distances. This information has been reviewed by Luis Suarez, Head, Species Programme, WWF-Spain. Their numbers are dwindling and only about 300 are alive in the wild. If rabbits are scarce, deer and mouflon are hunted.