Lynx pardinus (Temminck, 1827)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Felidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 54-168 : 151-152

24.

Iberian Lynx

Lynx pardinus

French: Lynx ibérique / German: Pardelluchs / Spanish: Lince ibérico

Other common names: Pardel Lynx, Spanish Lynx

Taxonomy. Felis pardinus Temminck, 1827 ,

Portugal.

Formerly considered a subspecies of L. lynx , but a recent molecular phylogenetic assessment suggests specific status. Monotypic.

Distribution. SW Spain and Portugal.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 68.2-82 cm, tail 12:5-16 cm; weight 7-14 kg. About half the size of Eurasian Lynx , and are closer in size to the Bobcat and Canadian Lynx . Males are about 25% larger than females. A long-legged cat, with a short tail, short body, and relatively small head. Both sexes have a prominentfacial ruff and the ears are tipped with a long tuft of black hair. Easily recognizable as the most heavily spotted member of the genus. The basic coat color is bright yellowish red or tawny with dark spots and white underparts. The coat is sparse, short and coarse.

Habitat. Generally, most abundant in areas of high habitat diversity, particularly in a mosaic of open forest mixed with extensive dense brush or shrub. In Donana National Park in south-west Spain, consistently prefer Mediterranean scrubland habitat over all other habitat types. They also use ash stands but avoid pine and eucalyptus plantations. Not unexpectedly, the two preferred habitats contained the highest densities of rabbits, the cat’s main prey. More than 90% of daytime rest sites are in thick heather scrub. The presence of permanent water sites and relatively low disturbance by humans are also important components of high quality habitat.

Food and Feeding. Feed almost exclusively on European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus); unlike Eurasian Lynx , which is principally a predator of small ungulates. In Donana National Park, rabbits contribute 75 to 93% of the diet, but in other areas their diet includes a few other taxa. Fawns and juvenile Fallow Deer and Red Deer form a minor part of the diet in fall and winter, and a variety of small murid rodents, snakes, and lizards are also occasionally taken. Also prey on birds, principally ducks and geese, and red-legged partridge ( Alectoris rufa). In Donana hunt mainly in the open pastures and scrub forest edge between the scrublands and marshes. Kill rabbits with a bite to the base of the skull. Deer are killed by suffocation, with one or more throat bites. Deer kills are dragged into dense cover where they provide food for a single Lynx for several days. Like many othercats, they attempt to conceal kills by raking leaves,soil, and other debris over what remains of the carcass. In captive feeding trials the maintenance diet for a male is estimated at 912 Kcal/day compared to 673 Kcal/day for a female. Feeding solely on rabbits could satisfy these energy requirements with 379 rabbits/year for males and 277 rabbits/year for a non-reproducing female.

Activity patterns. Radio-telemetry studies show that are primarily nocturnal, but there is a good deal of individual and seasonal variation. Radio-telemetry studies in Donana found that in summer are primarily nocturnal and activity is high around sunrise and sunset. In winter, were commonly found moving around during the daytime. In general the activity patterns are closely synchronized with its major prey, the rabbit.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Travel extensively and probably visit most parts of their home range every few days. One adult male traveled an average of 9-3 km per day over four 24hour periods; the distances traveled varied from 5-9 km to 13-6 km per night. Males traveled an average of 8-7 km per day compared to 6-4 for females. Based on radio-tracking data, the average home range size of resident males was 10-3 km? and for resident females it was 8-7 km?. The social organization is similar to that of other felids. There is little range overlap for resident animals of the same sex, but male ranges overlap female ranges. Occupancy of ranges is indicated primarily by scent marking, principally with urine and feces. They leave their feces at non-random locations within their ranges, preferring to deposit their scats at intersections of trails and roads. Apart from females with young and mating pairs, are essentially solitary.

Breeding. There are surprisingly few details available on the mating behavior. Mating is thought to begin in January and February, and following a 63-73 day gestation period, kittens are born in March or April. Litter size varies from 1-4, but the most common numberis two. Females with young kittens restrict their movements to a small area around the den site: one female used an area of only 1-7 km® until her kittens were two months old. Young remain in their natal ranges until they disperse at about 20 months of age.

Status and Conservation. Possibly the most endangered of the world’s felids. Listed on CITES Appendix I and classified as Critically Endangered on the The IUCN Red Lust. Legally protected throughout its range. Between 1960 and 1978 the habitat shrank by some 80%. Agriculture programs and large scale conversion of native forest to pine and eucalyptus plantations in Spain and Portugal, coupled with myxomatosis epidemics among the rabbit population, reduced the population to an estimated 880-1050 animals in Spain, with perhaps another 50 in Portugal. Since then there has been a further reduction in population size and today an estimated 84-143 adults survive in two or three isolated pockets in south-western Spain. Its survival in Portugal is uncertain at present. There are only two known breeding populations in Spain: in the Coto Donana (24-33 adults) and Andujar-Cardena in the eastern Sierra Morena (60-110 adults). These populations are isolated from one another making them even more vulnerable. Estimates of density in Donana varies from 10-18/ 100 km *. The current population exists in small, isolated, and highly fragmented patches of habitat. Few die of natural causes, some 75% of mortality being due to human related activities, such as shooting, poisoning, or trapping. Many are killed while trying to cross roads. After several years of unsuccessful attempts, new efforts are being made to breed them in captivity for possible reintroduction to the wild.

Bibliography. Aldama & Delibes (1991), Aldama et al. (1991), Aymerich (1982b, 1992), Beltran (1991), Beltran & Delibes (1993, 1994), Beltran, Aldama & Delibes (1992), Beltran, Rice & Honeycutt (1996), Beltran, San José et al. (1985), Delibes (1980), Delibes et al. (1975), Ferreras, Aldama et al. (1992), Ferreras, Beltran et al. (1997), Garcia-Perea et al. (1985), IUCN (2008), Moreno & Villafuerte (1995), Nowell & Jackson (1996), Palomares, Delibes et al. (2001), Palomares, Rodriguez et al. (1991), Rau et al. (1985), Robinson & Delibes (1988), Rodriguez & Delibes (1992), Rogers (1978), Serra & Sarmento (2006), Sunquist & Sunquist (2002), Vargas etal. (2005), Werdelin (1981, 1990), Zapata et al. (1997).

Figures

21. Bobcat (Lynx rufus), 22. Canadian Lynx (Lynx canadensis), 23. Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), 24. Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus)

Distribution. SW Spain and Portugal .