Iberian Lynx
By A.A.
Description of Iberian Lynx
- Mammal
- Height: 60-70 cm at shoulder (Brighthub)
- Length: 85-110 cm for head and body (Brighthub)
- Tail Length: 12-30 cm (Brighthub)
- Weight: 20-30 lbs (Brighthub)
- Adult males average 27.5 lbs, Adult females average 20.0 lbs. (Feline Conservation)
- Physical Characteristics: heavily spotted, long legs, very short tail with black tip, tawny coat, black ear tufts, yellow to reddish brown fur with lots of black tufts, muscular body, and tufted ears and jaws.
- Communication: Most are quiet; Young call in distress (Johnson)
- Special Characteristics: They have great hearing partially because of tufts on ears and excellent vision.
Food Chain and Habitat of Iberian Lynx
- Food Sources: Mainly rabbits, but other sources include rodents, hares, magpies, partridges, ducks, geese, and deer.
- Where Iberian Lynx Finds Food: Favors open area for rabbit hunting
- Iberian Lynx is a Carnivore
- Iberian Lynx is a predator. It mostly hunts herbivores
- Iberian Lynx is located in Spain, Europe.
- Two know breeding populations are Coto Donana and in vicinity of Andujar Cardena in Eastern Sierra Moena.
- Terrain: open forest, sand dunes of isolated Spain/ Portugal, scrub vegetation, Mediterranean woodland,and maquis thicket.
- Prefers dense forests by day
- Prefers pastures at night
- Home Range is 8- 14 square miles (Johnson)
- Travel average of 4 miles per day (Johnson)
Adaptation of Iberian Lynx
- Structures: Foreshortened skull, have relatively narrow/ small muzzles
- Solitary creatures
- Kill other small carnivores to reduce food competition
- Average dispersion rate is approximately 2-20 miles from birth site (Johnson)
- Female lynx give birth between March and April
- Average litter is 3
- Nocturnal
- Occasionally diurnal to adjust with feeding habits of rabbits
Reasons for Endangerment
- Once considered pests
- Victim to poaching and kill traps
- Spanish government once awarded money for carcasses
- Decline of rabbit population is the main reason for endangerment
- Iberian Lynx suffered an 80% loss in range from 1960-1990 (WWF Global)
- The world's most endangered feline species
- As of 2005, only about 150 left in the world (Morelle)
- Many areas are stopping development and destruction so the lynx's habitat isn't destroyed
- People have stopped hunting the lynx