The Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Catalina García, announced this Friday the birth of the first Iberian lynx cubs (Lynx pardinus) in the reintroduction area of Sierra Arana, in the surroundings of the Montes region of the province of Granada. “It is good news that reaffirms the possibilities of this area of the Granada mountain range, where in barely two years since the start of the releases, with a total of 24 specimens released, the first positive results are beginning to be seen.”
Since June 24, special monitoring has been carried out on a female, called Grapefruitwhich was released in the area in 2023, after its GPS collar indicated that it was fixed at a point for a period that, according to what is usual in these cases, was unusually long. This circumstance already made the experts think that it could be a birth, so the technical team of the Life Lynxconnect project began monitoring the behavior of Grapefruit in greater detail.
To do this, camera traps were installed in the area and intensive surveillance was activated to verify what movements this female was carrying out. In this way, it was detected that, at the beginning of September, it was moving again with some normality until the cameras captured the first images of Grapefruit along with two puppies. The head of Sustainability, who specified that they are two males, who are now between four and five months old and who still do not have a name, has assured that “today they move normally with their mother in this area , which is certainly extraordinary news.”
An environment with the best conditions
Grapefruit is a two and a half year old female Iberian lynx, who was born at the Silves Iberian Lynx Reproduction Center, in Portugal and was released in Sierra Arana at one year of age. It is one of the 13 specimens that have been released in the area since December 2022.
“We continue to reach milestones in the recovery of the species and, as it could not be otherwise, we are in luck because the coordinated actions carried out in the reintroduction areas are bearing fruit.” Added to this is the fact that this is a “clear sign” that Sierra Arana meets the appropriate conditions so that Iberian lynxes can not only adapt, but also reproduce in freedom.
Likewise, he has insisted that “in a very short time, it has been demonstrated that this area of the Sierra de Granada, which includes the foot of the northern Sierra Arana, the mountains of El Rayo, El Pozuelo, El Campanario and Las Cabras, “As well as the part of the Cubillas Valley, it is an ideal place to house the species.” This area is located in the northern highlands of Granada, in the Los Montes region, and is included in the municipalities of Iznalloz, Benalúa de las Villas, Dehesas Viejas, Píñar, Morelábor, Colomera, Deifontes and Albolote.
The habitat is made up of a complex of mountain ranges and mountains of a Mediterranean nature such as the Sierra del Pozuelo, del Rayo and de las Cabras, Montes de Iznalloz and Sierra Arana, mountain ranges that are immersed in an agricultural matrix of dryland crops dominated by the olive grove, the almond trees and the cereal. In this context, “since his release Grapefruit It has demonstrated excellent adaptation to the natural environment. Its ability to survive and reproduce in freedom reinforces the hope that this area can become a prosperous refuge for the lynx,” stated the counselor.
Improvement works to protect the lynx
In this environment, adaptation works are currently being carried out on nearly 25 kilometers of the A-308 highway, from its beginning on the A-44 highway and until its connection with the A-301, with an investment of 1.3 million euros and the objective of improving ecological connectivity in the area’s road infrastructure. This is an intervention planned to protect the Iberian lynx population, as it is a stretch of road that is especially dangerous for the specimens, the one with the highest number of accidents by individuals of the species that has been recorded so far.
Thus, enclosures and gates are being placed with structures designed to prevent lynxes and other species of wildlife from accessing the road, thus reducing the risk of accidents. Similarly, virtual fencing devices are being placed at milestones and curbs on the road, which emit signals that discourage animals from approaching it, which increases safety, not only for the animals, but also for drivers. .
On the other hand, escape ramps are being installed that will allow animals that accidentally access the road to exit it without running the risk of being run over. Likewise, the existing overpass on the A-308 will be adapted to facilitate the safe crossing of wildlife, promoting connectivity between different areas of the habitat.
#lynx #continues #expansion #Andalusia #births #wild #Sierra #Granada
