Lynxes go wild
The pair have been fitted with special collars so they can be tracked by satellite
THE FIRST two Iberian lynxes which have been bred in captivity to be released into the wild in Murcia region are now roaming free in the highlands of Lorca.
Tahúlla and Tiko, as they were named by schoolchildren, had been living in an enclosure in the area since the beginning of March, so that they could be monitored and acclimatise to the environment.
The initiative is part of the EU LIFE conservation project Lynxconnect, which aims to connect populations of the endangered species around Spain and Portugal, and get them to settle new areas.
This pair have been fitted with collars equipped with GPS technology, so that their movements can be tracked by satellite.
“The idea is to know where they go to hunt and rest, and which are there habitats,” explained regional councillor for the environment, Juan María Vázquez.
The Iberian lynx is classified as endangered in Murcia region but treated as extinct because none are known to be living there.
“The acclimatisation enclosure will be kept open for a few days because it would be normal if Tahúlla and Tiko return to their comfort zone, which is where they have been living and hunting since
they arrived in the region,” said Sr Vázquez.
“These days are vital for knowing if the animals move away or not from the area where they have been for the last few weeks, and also to know where they settle.”
A second enclosure, where another two lynxes to be released in the region are staying, Torrealvilla and Tejo, will be opened in the next few days once the first pair have become accustomed to life outside. After completing this phase, the remaining four lynxes destined for Murcia region will be brought to the two enclosures, probably in the second half of May.
These will be distributed in the same way as the first two pairs, with a male and a female in each enclosure.
They include three from the Zarza de Garnadilla breeding centre in Cáceres and one from the Olivilla centre in Santa Elena, Jaén.
The councillor called for ‘responsibility and respect in order to guarantee the successful reintroduction of this species in Murcia region’.
“For this reason we must take precautions when passing through these areas of Lorca,” he warned.
The regional environment department is one of 21 partners involved in the Lynxconnect project, which is coordinated by its equivalent authority in Andalucía region.
The hope is that by settling lynxes in areas between existing populations, the total number of the species will behave like a self-sustaining metapopulation.