Iberian Lynx trip report
- Thread starter Arizona Docent
- Start date
Don't forget I'm talking about 1970 here. You had to get special access to go on the reserve- the Palacio is down a long drive in the heart of the reserve anyway so is private. The Lynx enclosure was just there but definately not a public display.
In the case of the iberian lynx, it is because they are being bred specifically for reintroduction to the wild and the authorities do not want them to imprint on people.
As for other zoo animals being off exhibit, I think it would be one of the following reasons:
Not enough exhibit space for the numer of animals they have
Required for breeding animals that will not breed around crowds
Animals show signs of stress on public display
Recent article from the Observer:
Face to face with the missing lynx | Environment | The Observer
Halfway down the comments there is one from someone involved in the programme
Face to face with the missing lynx | Environment | The Observer
Halfway down the comments there is one from someone involved in the programme
I've never thought of Europe as a wildlife destination, but it sounds like you hit several jackpots here. Very cool.
I like your analogy to the California condor. Does the Spanish equivalent of the Fish and Wildlife Service and/or National Park Service have a plan to release lynx to some predetermined population number?
I don't want to ask too many questions here, but what are/were the factors endangering the lynx? Is there enough safe lynx habitat left to rebuild a self-sustaining population?
The two main reasons for their decline are habitat loss and lack of prey. They feed almost exclusively on european rabbits. Several decades ago some Spanish farmer got the bright idea that he could permanently rid his farm of rabbits if he injected some with a deadly disease and released them to spread it. He did and it worked, completely decimating the Spanish population of european rabbit. Some have now developed enough resistance that they can carry the disease without being killed before breeding age and in some lynx areas the researchers are actually fencing off sections and introducing disease-free rabbits.
Suitable habitat for reintroduction is a problem, but they will use what they have. I flew into Sevilla and it is a two hour drive by freeway to Andujar and for most of the drive it was 100% (recently plowed) wheat fields that just looked like a moonscape. I have literally never seen such a barren environment anywhere and there were no animals to be seen except the occasional raven. The last section before Andujar is 100% olive tree orchards, which although greener is still a monoculture and still no animals. I did not see one single raptor of any kind the whole trip, not even in the lynx mountains (although my brother saw a couple up there with his binoculars - he is an experienced and well traveled wildlife watcher).
Suitable habitat for reintroduction is a problem, but they will use what they have. I flew into Sevilla and it is a two hour drive by freeway to Andujar and for most of the drive it was 100% (recently plowed) wheat fields that just looked like a moonscape. I have literally never seen such a barren environment anywhere and there were no animals to be seen except the occasional raven. The last section before Andujar is 100% olive tree orchards, which although greener is still a monoculture and still no animals. I did not see one single raptor of any kind the whole trip, not even in the lynx mountains (although my brother saw a couple up there with his binoculars - he is an experienced and well traveled wildlife watcher).
Although my trip was a year and a half ago, I have just had a story on it published in an online travel magazine out of the UK called Itchy Feet.
Here is the link if anyone is interested:
Stalking Spain’s ghost cat Itchy Feet Magazine
Here is the link if anyone is interested:
Stalking Spain’s ghost cat Itchy Feet Magazine
Great article! Glad you had the experience to see the world's rarest cat. I'm really jealous right now!
Incredibly jealous myself, too! I think in terms of species-level small cats, the Iberian Lynx is the one I would most like to see one day.
devilfish
Well-Known Member
Brilliant article - well done A.D.!
Very interesting. I did not know iberian lynxes had ever been on display at any zoo.
filipinos
Well-Known Member
You should check Zootierliste. Here´s a link to european zoos that used to have Iberian Lynxes: Zootierliste - Iberian Lynx . If you change to current at the top you can see them zoos that still have them (Jerez
). Hope i helped.
I am shocked to learn that so many European zoos had them. Too bad they did not get a coordinated breeding program going back then.
I am even more shocked to learn that three European zoos had andean cat and one European zoo (Rome) claims to have had bornean bay cat. I was certain these two species were never held in zoos.
I am even more shocked to learn that three European zoos had andean cat and one European zoo (Rome) claims to have had bornean bay cat. I was certain these two species were never held in zoos.
So jealous that you got to see an Iberian Lynx! Fantastic article as well!
What's next? African Golden Cats?
What's next? African Golden Cats?
I would really like to, but I am not sure I can swing a trip to Gabon (where another ZooChatter is currently working and tipped me off on their whereabouts). Marbled cats are also very high on my list.
It says in the article that you have photographed 28 of the 32 species of cats
. What are the 2 cats you're missing, besides African Golden Cats and Marbled Cats?
Actually there are 36 species of cats (although the taxonomy changes every few years). I am missing:
marbled cat
african golden cat
andean cat
guigna (aka kodkod)
bornean bay cat
flat headed cat
sunda island clouded leopard
These former species I do not have but do not count because they were recently downgraded to subspecies of cats I do have:
iriomote cat (now subspecies of leopard cat)
chinese mountain cat (now subspecies of wildcat)
Of course this may change again. The IUCN Cat Specialist Group is doing another review of cat taxonomy which they will post in a special issue magazine in the near future. (I am still getting their magazine even though I let my membership expire, so we will see if I get this one when it comes out).
marbled cat
african golden cat
andean cat
guigna (aka kodkod)
bornean bay cat
flat headed cat
sunda island clouded leopard
These former species I do not have but do not count because they were recently downgraded to subspecies of cats I do have:
iriomote cat (now subspecies of leopard cat)
chinese mountain cat (now subspecies of wildcat)
Of course this may change again. The IUCN Cat Specialist Group is doing another review of cat taxonomy which they will post in a special issue magazine in the near future. (I am still getting their magazine even though I let my membership expire, so we will see if I get this one when it comes out).
Well, 28 species still is an impressive list! I've only photographed 12. (And that's counting Domestic Cat.
)
I have never heard of bay cats being kept in captivity except the ones caught and photographed fairly recently in Borneo. However according to the Rome Zoo records, a male bay cat was obtained on the 1st December 1934 and died on 18th January 1935. I do wonder if it was really a bay cat or just an Asian golden cat.