Reintroducción Lince Andalucia -C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d r e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e Iberian lynx in Andalucia
LIFE06 NAT/E/000209
P r o j e c t d e s c r i p t i o n E n v i r o n m e n t a l i s s u e s Beneficiaries A d m i n i s t r a t i v e d a t a R e a d m o r e Contact details: Project Manager: Miguel Angel SIMON F a x : + 3 4 9 5 5 0 0 3 7 7 5 Email: miguelangel.simon@juntadeandalucia.es; dggmn.secretaria.cma@juntadeandalucia.es] Project description: B a c k g r o u n d The Iberian lynx is the most threatened carnivorous mammal in Europe. This m e d i u m - s i z e d f e l i n e ( 8 - 1 4 k g ) l i v e s i n a r e a s c h a r a c t e r i s e d b y a m i x t u r e o f d e n s e w o o d l a n d , M e d i t e r r a n e a n s c r u b a n d p a s t u r e . I t b e n e f i t s f r o m a r e a s w i t h a n a b u n d a n c e o f i t s m a i n p r e y , r a b b i t s , a n d w h e r e i n t e r f e r e n c e f r o m h u m a n s i s m i n i m a l . Up to the 19th century, the species could be found in all the regions of Spain and Portugal. However, since then its population and distribution area suffered decline, which reached alarming levels in the last decades of the 20th century, mainly due to rabbit epidemics and loss of habitat. By the turn of the millennium, barely 100 individuals survived in the wild in only two unconnected p o p u l a t i o n s i n S p a i n : A n d ú j a r - C a r d e ñ a ; a n d D o ñ a n a . This catastrophic trend was partially reversed by the previous LIFE project ‘Lince Andalucía - Population recovery of Iberian Lynx in Andalusia’ (LIFE02 NAT/E/008609). This project succeeded in improving numbers as well as genetic diversity of the Iberian lynx sub-populations. Key achievements included the e x c h a n g e o f i n d i v i d u a l s b e t w e e n t h e s u b - p o p u l a t i o n s a n d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a c a p t i v e b r e e d i n g p r o g r a m m e . T h e p r o j e c t c o n s i d e r a b l y i n c r e a s e d r a b b i t n u m b e r s in key territories through managed breeding, release and protection. Essential h a b i t a t i m p r o v e m e n t m e a s u r e s w e r e a g r e e d t h r o u g h c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h l a n d o w n e r s a n d h u n t e r s .
However, although the 49% increase in the population achieved created optimism, it still left the Iberian lynx with a population of less than 190 i n d i v i d u a l s . T h e t w o s u b - p o p u l a t i o n s r e m a i n e d i s o l a t e d f r o m e a c h o t h e r a n d t o o m a n y d e a t h s w e r e b e i n g r e c o r d e d a s a r e s u l t o f r o a d a c c i d e n t s i n t h e a n i m a l s ’ territory. The species remained classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list. Objectives T h i s f o l l o w - u p p r o j e c t a i m e d t o b u i l d o n t h e s u c c e s s f u l s t a b i l i s a t i o n o f t h e Iberian lynx populations in Spain to deliver a global and comprehensive strategy for the conservation of the species. It sought to involve every relevant sector and cover all appropriate issues to achieve: m a i n t e n a n c e a n d s t a b i l i z a t i o n o f t h e e x i s t i n g p o p u l a t i o n s i n c r e a s e i n t h e n u m b e r o f i n d i v i d u a l s creation of new territories c o n n e c t i v i t y b e t w e e n i s o l a t e d s u b - p o p u l a t i o n s i m p r o v e d g e n e t i c d i v e r s i t y a m o n g s t p o p u l a t i o n s . Specific actions foreseen included the translocation of specimens from A n d ú j a r - C a r d e ñ a t o D o ñ a n a . A p a r t i c u l a r c h a l l e n g e o f t h e p r o j e c t w a s t o successfully attempt the first ever introduction to the wild of Iberian lynx bred and raised in captivity. It also sought to achieve self-sustainable rabbit p o p u l a t i o n s i n a l l L y n x d i s t r i b u t i o n a r e a s a n d i n t h o s e a r e a s d e s t i n e d t o f u t u r e r e i n t r o d u c t i o n s . T h e p r o j e c t p l a n n e d t o a c c o m p a n y a l l t h e s e a c t i o n s w i t h a w i d e a n d c o m p r e h e n s i v e a w a r e n e s s - r a i s i n g c a m p a i g n h e l p i n g t o i m p r o v e a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d s t h e l y n x a n d d e c r e a s e s o m e o f t h e t h r e a t s t o i t s s u r v i v a l . R e s u l t s The Andalusian Lynx Introduction project has very significantly contributed to the recovery of the Iberian lynx, helping to both increase and extend populations. T h e s u c c e s s o f t h e p r o j e c t i s d e m o n s t r a t e d b y t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e s p e c i a l i s t c a t group of the IUCN to downgrade the classification of the species from ‘critically endangered’ to ‘endangered’. T o e n a b l e t h e a p p r o p r i a t e m a n a g e m e n t o f m o r e t h a n 2 0 0 0 0 0 h a o f t a r g e t territory for the Iberian lynx, the beneficiary built on the improving co-operation b e t w e e n p u b l i c a u t h o r i t i e s , N G O s a n d h u n t e r s a s s o c i a t i o n s d e v e l o p e d i n t h e earlier LIFE project. It specifically agreed land stewardship agreements with 147 p r i v a t e e s t a t e s , p r o v i d i n g a n e x c e l l e n t e x a m p l e o f l a n d c u s t o d y a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r s u s t a i n a b l e m a n a g e m e n t . Management actions delivered included: lease of hunting rights; reduction of c a t t l e ; c o m p e n s a t i o n s c h e m e s f o r d a m a g e c a u s e d b y l y n x ; s u p p l e m e n t a r y f e e d i n g and drinking stations; lynx enclosures in reintroduction areas; artificial shelters f o r b r e e d i n g ; a d a p t a t i o n o f r o a d s a n d p a t h s ; f e n c e s t o p r e v e n t g r a z i n g b y ungulates; and clearing of vegetation, pruning of trees, sowing of pastures and
fertilisation of land. T h e p r o j e c t w o r k e d t o e n h a n c e t h e h a b i t a t o f e x i s t i n g a r e a s o f d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e Iberian lynx as well as preparing new areas for reintroduction of the species. Individual lynxes bred in captivity were released into the wild at carefully s e l e c t e d a r e a s t o c r e a t e n e w p o p u l a t i o n s . T h e p r o j e c t a l s o u n d e r t o o k s p e c i f i c m e a s u r e s t o e n h a n c e r a b b i t p o p u l a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f s h e l t e r s a n d c a p t i v e b r e e d i n g s t a t i o n s a n d t h e r e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f p o p u l a t i o n s t o t a r g e t a r e a s . These management actions achieved the following specific results: reduced fragmentation of lynx habitat – notably achieving connectivity of t h e t w o s u b - p o p u l a t i o n s o f S i e r r a M o r e n a p r e p a r a t i o n o f i m p o r t a n t n e w a r e a s f o r r e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e s p e c i e s – i n c l u d i n g p o t e n t i a l l o n g - t e r m a r e a s i n E x t r e m a d u r a two new populations established at Guarrizas and Guadalmellato (Andalusia) total number of wild lynx increased to 326 individuals by 2011 – including t h e d o u b l i n g o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n i n D o ñ a n a a f t e r y e a r s o f s t a g n a t i o n the total surface occupied by Iberian lynx in Andalusia increased from 510 k m 2 i n 2 0 0 6 t o 9 7 9 k m 2 i n 2 0 1 1 t h e g e n e t i c p o o l o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n s w a s i m p r o v e d w i t h t h e b r e e d i n g o f reinforced individuals in Doñana with animals from Sierra Morena a positive recovery of rabbit populations in target areas, despite ongoing i m p a c t f r o m t h e h e m o r r h a g i c v i r u s d i s e a s e reduced risk of road kills in the area of Doñana, with a considerable number o f k i l o m e t r e s n o w l y n x - p r o o f , i n c l u d i n g t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t w o n e w e c o d u c t s habitat benefits also for additional priority species including the Spanish Imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) and Black vulture (A e g y p i u s m o n a c h u s). A l a r g e n u m b e r o f a w a r e n e s s - r a i s i n g a c t i v i t i e s w e r e u n d e r t a k e n , r e a c h i n g thousands of people; however it remains an ongoing challenge to increase public u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f a n d s u p p o r t f o r t h e m e a s u r e s u n d e r t a k e n . S c i e n t i f i c d i s s e m i n a t i o n w a s w e l l t a r g e t e d t h r o u g h i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n g r e s s e s a n d n e t w o r k i n g . The approval of the Recovery Plan for the Iberian Lynx in Andalusia was a major policy milestone, which ensures the legal protection of the species and secures t h e c o n t i n u i t y o f a c t i o n s i n i t i a t e d w i t h t h i s p r o j e c t . S u p p o r t f o r l o n g - t e r m m a n a g e m e n t h a s b e e n f o r e s e e n t h r o u g h g r a n t s a p p r o v e d u n d e r t h e F E A D E R programme. Other activities not linked to recurrent management, will be carried out with a new LIFE project ‘IBERLINCE’. T o p E n v i r o n m e n t a l i s s u e s a d d r e s s e d : T h e m e s S p e c i e s - M a m m a l s
K e y w o r d s e n d a n g e r e d s p e c i e s ‚ p r o t e c t e d a r e a Target EU Legislation Nature protection and Biodiversity D i r e c t i v e 9 2 / 4 3 - C o n s e r v a t i o n o f n a t u r a l h a b i t a t s a n d o f w i l d f a u n a a n d flora- Habitats Directiv ... T a r g e t s p e c i e s Lynx pardinus T a r g e t H a b i t a t t y p e s 6 3 1 0 - D e h e s a s w i t h e v e r g r e e n Q u e r c u s s p p . 2 2 5 0 - C o a s t a l d u n e s w i t h J u n i p e r u s s p p . N a t u r a 2 0 0 0 s i t e s
SCI ES0000050 SIERRA DE HORNACHUELOS SCI ES0000053 SIERRA NORTE
SCI ES4320013 GRANADILLA
SCI ES4320039 SIERRA DE LAS VILLUERCAS Y VALLE DEL GUADARRANQUE SCI ES6130001 SIERRA DE CARDEÑA Y MONTORO
SCI ES6130005 SUROESTE DE LA SIERRA DE CARDEÑA Y MONTORO SCI ES6150009 DOÑANA NORTE Y OESTE
SCI ES6150012 DEHESA DEL ESTERO Y MONTES DE MOGUER SCI ES6150023 DEHESA DE TORRECUADROS Y ARROYO DE PILAS SCI ES6160005 DESPEÑAPERROS
SCI ES6160008 CUENCAS DEL RUMBLAR, GUADALEN Y GUADALMENA T o p Beneficiaries: C o o r d i n a t o r Junta de Andalucía. Consejería de Medio A m b i e n t e T y p e o f o r g a n i s a t i o n Regional authority D e s c r i p t i o n The Consejería de Medio Ambiente (Junta de Andalucía) is the regional administration in c h a r g e o f n a t u r e c o n s e r v a t i o n .
P a r t n e r s Junta de Andalucía: Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca, Spain Junta de Extremadura: Consejería de Agricultura y Medio Ambiente, Spain Asociación de Propietarios y Productores de Caza de Andalucía (APROCA), Spain Asociación Empresarial de Criadores y Titulares de Cotos de Caza de Andalucía (ATECA), Spain Ecologistas en Acción-Andalucía, Spain Federación Andaluza de Caza, Spain Fundación CBD-Hábitat, Spain Sociedad Española para la Conservación y Estudio de los Mamíferos (SECEM), Spain WWF-Adena, Spain Junta de Andalucía: Consejería de Obras Públicas y T r a n s p o r t e s , S p a i n T o p A d m i n i s t r a t i v e d a t a : Project reference LIFE06 NAT/E/000209 D u r a t i o n 0 1 - A U G - 2 0 0 6 t o 2 8 - F E B - 2 0 1 2 T o t a l b u d g e t 2 5 , 9 7 1 , 4 8 9 . 0 0 € EU contribution 9,869,166.00 € Project location Andalucía(España) T o p R e a d m o r e : Project web site Project's website (ES) Publication: After-LIFE Conservation Plan Title: Plan de conservación del lince ibérico Year: 2012 No of pages: 70 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Anejo A.11 - Plan de Recuperación del l i n c e i b é r i c o d e l a C o m u n i d a d A u t ó n o m a d e Andalucía" Year: 2011 Editor: BOJA núm. 25 No of pages: 30 Publication: Layman report Title: Informe layman Year: 2012 No of p a g e s : 3 5 Publication: Management plan Title: Plan de Recuperación del lince ibérico de l a C o m u n i d a d A u t ó n o m a d e A n d a l u c í a " Year: 2011 Editor: BOJA, Sevilla No of pages: 30 Publication: Proceedings Title: Proceedings of the III Iberian lynx C o n s e r v a t i o n S e m i n a r , N o v e m b e r 1 7 - 1 9 , 2 0 0 8 Year: 2009 No of pages: 92 Publication: Technical report Title: Project's Final technical report Year: 2012 No of pages: 154
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P r o j e c t d e s c r i p t i o n E n v i r o n m e n t a l i s s u e s Beneficiaries A d m i n i s t r a t i v e d a t a R e a d m o r e
