They discover a lynx lifeless in Madrid from photographs with its head and legs minimize off | Climate and Environment | EUROtoday

On this event it was not a run over, the principle reason for the lynx’s unnatural dying, however fairly a number of photographs. Last week, the decapitated corpse of an Iberian lynx, an emblematic and guarded species, appeared dumped on a farm in El Molar, a municipality situated 39 km north of the town of Madrid close to the NI. Several individuals got here throughout the macabre discovery: the lynx had not solely been shot, its head and legs had been minimize off. Immediately, the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) was notified, which is investigating the occasions to find the wrongdoer of such a horrible occasion.

The place the place the animal appeared just isn’t on the same old dispersal route of the species, which has not but established itself within the Madrid neighborhood. For this cause, the brokers are contemplating the likelihood that it may very well be an animal hunted illegally elsewhere and transferred to this farm, sources from the Civil Guard inform EL PAÍS. The few specimens which have been detected within the area are people that disperse seeking a territory wherein to settle from Toledo, the place the reintroduction of the emblematic species has been a hit.

After performing a necropsy on the animal, it was discovered that it had not less than the affect of two gunshots. The similar sources add {that a} hunter may very well be behind the occasions as a result of the top is part of the animals thought of a trophy. People who commit the sort of act face a criminal offense towards wildlife for killing a specimen of a protected species of wildlife, and could also be sentenced to jail phrases of six months to 2 years, fines and disqualifications from practising. of looking.

The restoration of the species is taken into account a world success – it has gone from 94 specimens in 2001 to greater than 2,000 – and results in extra sightings of lynxes, and, every now and then, the females take shelter to provide beginning in amenities comparable to haystacks. or farmhouses with little motion of individuals. This March, a rancher from Menasalbas (Toledo) got here throughout three small new child lynxes in one of many warehouses the place he retains bales of straw. But, on the similar time, inhabitants development causes highway accidents to multiply, and a rise in poaching. The conservation group WWF has reported that “in parallel with this hopeful increase, poaching has resurfaced,” one of many primary components that introduced the lynx to the brink of extinction previously.

According to the info that the group printed in August 2023, poaching is the second reason for unnatural mortality of the species (5%), very near highway kill (6%). “Our analysis reveals that 233 lynxes were killed illegally from 2000 to 2021, the last year with available data,” they preserve. Some of those crimes, they add, are produced by non-selective, merciless and unlawful looking strategies, comparable to poisoned baits or traps, whereas different occasions, the dying is intentional and the lynx is hunted straight, as occurs after they seem with shot lifeless. Added to all that is that “only 30% of lynx deaths due to poaching are detected. And that despite the fact that it is the most closely monitored species on the Iberian Peninsula.”

In the Community of Madrid there are nonetheless no established lynxes, however some specimens have been noticed trying to find territory. In June of final 12 months, the stealthy feline was photographed for the primary time in Sevilla La Nueva, a municipality situated within the southwest of the capital. The specimen crossed in entrance of a neighbor’s automobile returning residence, handed about 50 meters away and didn’t escape, so it was attainable to take some photos of it.

Soon one other appeared in Boadilla del Monte, a city in the identical space, which determined to climb the fence of the Financial City of the Banco de Santander. Both specimens might come from neighboring Castilla-La Mancha, from the city of Montes de Toledo, one of the vital profitable instances within the restoration of the lynx.

The newest 2023 census, printed this March, exhibits that the feline has doubled its inhabitants within the final three years and has reached 2,021 people, with 1,299 adults or subadults and 722 puppies. In 2001 solely 94 people remained. But, regardless of the great information, specialists point out that 750 breeding females can be wanted to categorise the species in a good conservation standing, and on this newest depend 406 have been detected. However, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the best scientific authority on species safety, lowered the diploma of menace of the species to weak after studying the info. A discount that has not but been utilized in Spain.