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community weblog
A European wild cat was nearly extinct. Now, it is making a comeback
A European wild cat was nearly extinct. Now, it is making a comeback. The Iberian lynx is no longer classified as endangered, with one group calling it the "greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation."
In 2002 there were only about 60 adult Iberian lynx in Portugal and Spain, and the species was labeled "critically endangered." After a lot of hard work, there are now more than 2000 young and adult Iberian lynx on the Iberian Peninsula.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries on Jun 30, 2024 at 6:47 PM
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Omg that cub go kitty!!!
posted by supermedusa at 6:49 PM
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Well done Portugal and Spain! Go wild cats!
posted by Windopaene at 7:25 PM
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After a fairly rough, recent news cycle this is absolutely delightful.
Thank you for posting this.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 8:44 PM
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This is amazing - similar efforts in Poland only produced a population of about 200 lynxes on the same timescale, mostly because our forests are too scattered and monoculture.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 11:48 PM
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in a statement that the efforts have resulted in the "greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation."
This superlative is so specific and qualified as to mean effectively nothing.
Great news though, and great post!
posted by Dysk at 11:59 PM
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well shit now i gotta run out and adopt one before WWF discontinues the stuffed animal
posted by Jacqueline at 12:40 AM
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Hee! Murder muffin!
posted by prismatic7 at 2:17 AM
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Once I was staying in a house in southern France, not far from the Pyrenees. One morning I got up early, made coffee, and as I drifted into the living room with my cup, I looked out the window was surprised to see a very large cat playing around in the garden, or so it seemed to me, until I realized it was hunting some small bird. At the same time I noticed the tufts of hair on the ears of the cat and it dawns on me that I'm looking at a lynx. It was a fairly magical experience.
Many years later I'm reading up on Iberian lynx conservation efforts, and I realize how incredibly unlikely it was that I saw a lynx in France, and I have doubted what I saw since, even though the memory is very clear. It's made me more sympathetic to people who report seeing cryptids or paranormal phenomena, because while I know that what I saw was extremely improbable, the experience is so vivid in my mind.
posted by Kattullus at 2:44 AM
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In celebration, I draw the attention of coin lovers to the very lovely Iberian lynx gold coin first issued by the Spanish mint a few years ago. Golden kitty!
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 3:58 AM
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rabia.elizabeth, I might have trouble using that coin, I'd be so busy being hypnotized by it.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 4:25 AM
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Portugal has a commemorative coin as well
posted by chavenet at 4:57 AM
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News Flash! The Iberian field mouse population has shrunk to a critical low point.
OTOH, Yay, kitty!
posted by mule98J at 8:09 AM
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