Almodóvar del Río (Córdoba), (EFE).- The president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, has announced that the “Life Lynx Connect” project, led by the regional administration, has set itself the objective of “consolidating” the existing Iberian lynx populations in Spain and expand their presence to “Murcia and the Sierra de Arana, in Granada”.
Moreno, who has participated in the release of the “Sandía” lynx in the Cordoba town of Almodóvar del Río, a “corridor” that connects the lynx populations between the interior and Sierra Morena, has indicated that the “recovery of the Iberian lynx comes years ago” and now it is about “strengthening” the “existing populations” and “creating new ones”.
“Now one more step is taken, for two and a half years we have also proposed to connect specimens between these groups to create intermediate populations and facilitate the mixing of genes”, a project “led by Andalusia” and that currently has 21 partners adhered to the program.
The great objective of “Lince Conecta” is that “in five years” Andalusia has a “self-sustaining and genetically viable” population and “to consolidate the lynx populations that already exist together with those of Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura or Portugal”, although with the novelty of “creating two more, one in Murcia and another in Sierra Arana, in the province of Granada”, he has announced.
Four examples of Iberian lynx in Murcia
In this sense, the Andalusian president has explained that he has “talked” with the Region of Murcia to “transfer four lynxes to that area” and bet on the “expansion” of the species “throughout the southern part of Spain”.
On the other hand, Moreno has reported that, with Sandia, in Andalusia “133 Iberian lynxes” have already been released, the majority coming from “breeding centers”, while with the “Lince Conecat” a global population is expected to reach ” consolidated” to go from “endangered species”, as it is currently cataloged to “vulnerable species”.
An objective that requires “work, commitment and good professionals”, highlighted Moreno, who has been “proud” that Andalusia has “the three” tools” that will make the project “a success”.
Finally, the Andalusian president has indicated that the region also aspires to “leadership in sustainability and environmental guarantees” as it is one of the areas in Europe with “the most protected areas”, hence the “environmental commitment” of Andalusian society before the climate change challenge. EFE
