Reassessment of the conservation status of the Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  1. Alejandro Rodríguez 1
  2. Javier Calzada 2
  1. 1 Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC
  2. 2 Universidad de Huelva
    info

    Universidad de Huelva

    Huelva, España

    ROR https://ror.org/03a1kt624

Revista:
Galemys: Boletín informativo de la Sociedad Española para la conservación y estudio de los mamíferos

ISSN: 1137-8700

Any de publicació: 2017

Volum: 29

Volum: 1

Pàgines: 7-18

Tipus: Article

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Altres publicacions en: Galemys: Boletín informativo de la Sociedad Española para la conservación y estudio de los mamíferos

Resum

During the last 70 years, the Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus has experienced dramatic changes in its environment, range size, and population size. In a context of widespread support for Iberian lynx conservation, its recent downgrading from Critically Endangered to Endangered in the IUCN Red List has drawn some public concern. Here we expand the summarized account published in the IUCN Red List website to illustrate how assessments are performed in well studied species. Assessment requires assignment to the highest threat category for which the species qualifies according to any of five criteria. Using 2012 as the reference year, no decline was observed during the last three lynx generations, and criteria regarding Population size reduction (A1, A2 and A4) were not met. Under criterion B (Geographic range) the species should be listed as Vulnerable. Considering Criterion D (Very small or restricted population), the Iberian lynx should be assigned to the Endangered category because in 2012 the estimated number of mature individuals (168) was under the established threshold of 250. A complex population model incorporating the combined effects of climate change, prey availability and conservation strategies reveals the critical need of maintaining current reintroduction efforts to avoid lynx extinction. If this condition is fulfilled, the species should be downgraded to Endangered under criterion E (Quantitative analysis). If reintroductions are discontinued, the category Endangered would be assigned under criteria A3 (Projected population reduction) and C (Small population and decline). We discuss the objectivity, transparency and conservation implications of the Iberian lynx downlisting.

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Fuente de los datos: Dialnet