CHAPTER 18 | Keys to Iberian Lynx Conservation Success | 20 Years of LIFE Projects

🐆🌿 From around 100 Iberian lynxes in 2002 to more than 2,400 in 2024, this wild cat's recovery has become a global conservation success. But what made it possible — and what must happen next? Chapter 18 reveals the partnerships and determination behind two decades of recovery. 🌍 🤝 Javier Salcedo: making cooperation work LIFE LynxConnect director Javier Salcedo points to effective management of European LIFE funding and the alliance between public authorities, private landowners and hunters. Shared goals helped overcome mistrust. 💚 Astrid Vargas: the power of an iconic species Astrid Vargas explains how the lynx's beauty and charisma inspired public sympathy and political support. Yet enthusiasm alone was never enough: suitable Mediterranean habitat and healthy populations of wild rabbits, its main prey, were essential for genuine recovery. 🐇 🏡 Miguel Ángel Simón: local support is indispensable For Miguel Ángel Simón, public acceptance is a foundation of conservation: “You cannot conserve a species if the people living there do not want it.” Building trust locally, ensuring adequate rabbit numbers and tackling road deaths remain central challenges. 🌍 Nuria El Khadir: one purpose, shared methods Nuria El Khadir highlights the benefits of coordinated work among authorities, conservation organisations, businesses and specialists. Shared protocols and clear objectives made work more consistent across territories. 🔑 Rafael Cadenas: turning difficulties into progress Rafael Cadenas reminds us that today's success hides years of setbacks, negotiations and uncertainty. Transparency, scientific rigour and responsible use of EU LIFE resources helped teams respond to problems and maintain trust. 🐾 Rodrigo Serra: persistence across borders Rodrigo Serra emphasises the dedication of the teams in Spain and Portugal. Recovery required patience, constant fieldwork and a willingness to continue even when individual releases or conservation measures did not go to plan. 🏹 José María Mancheño: hunters as conservation partners Representing the hunting community, José María Mancheño describes how awareness and engagement changed attitudes. Hunters became active collaborators in protecting lynx habitat and supporting its return — experience that can also help prevent conservation failures affecting other species. 📊 Nicolás Guzmán: first understand the crisis Nicolás Guzmán traces success back to the first reliable diagnosis of the species' status. Knowing how few lynxes remained made the urgency impossible to ignore. Well-executed early LIFE projects then strengthened the surviving populations and created the foundation for later reintroductions. 🧬 José Antonio Godoy: genetics still matters Despite growing numbers, low genetic diversity remains a concern. Geneticist José Antonio Godoy explains why long-term management, connectivity between populations and genetic monitoring are needed to make the species more resilient to future environmental changes. ⚠️ Threats that have not disappeared The Iberian lynx depends heavily on European rabbits, which are vulnerable to myxomatosis, rabbit haemorrhagic disease and environmental pressures. When rabbit populations collapse, lynx breeding and survival can suffer. Road collisions are another persistent threat. Miguel Ángel Simón stresses the difficulty and cost of preventing them. Expansion into intensively used farmland brings additional risks from roads and changes in land management. 🚗 🔭 Beyond saving a single species Astrid Vargas calls for a long-term strategic vision and sees the Iberian lynx as a flagship for conserving the wider Mediterranean ecosystem. Protecting the lynx can help protect habitats and many other species that share them. 🌳🦋 Preventing future losses requires monitoring, safer roads and dialogue with land managers. Each population brings opportunities, but also challenges that must be anticipated. 🌱 The next chapter of recovery The achievements are extraordinary, but conservation cannot stop. Future expansion and connectivity may involve suitable areas of Castilla y León, Catalonia and Aragon, provided ecological conditions and local cooperation make them viable. Strong, connected populations are more secure than isolated groups. ✨ Miguel Delibes: success requires lasting commitment Miguel Delibes reflects with satisfaction on what has been achieved, while reminding us that the lynx's future is not guaranteed. Continued investment, monitoring and cooperation are essential if recovery is to endure. 🐆 Chapter 18 shows how science, effective funding, landowners, hunters and public support made recovery possible — and why cooperation must continue. ▶️ Watch the episode, share the story and follow LIFE LynxConnect to discover how the Iberian lynx returned from the brink of extinction. 💚 #IberianLynx #LynxPardinus #LIFELynxConnect #WildlifeConservation #ConservationSuccess