Poaching is the second leading cause of non-natural death for the Iberian lynx, following roadkills

Every week, at least one Iberian lynx is shot, poisoned or killed in illegal snares, a steady trickle that threatens to undermine efforts to recover this strictly protected species. According to an analysis carried out by WWF Spain as part of the LIFE SWiPE project, an estimated 68 lynx died in 2021 as a result of poaching, 5% of the total population.

For two decades, a colossal collaborative effort has been made to recover the iberian lynx, which was the world’s most threatened cat – the species now numbers 1,668 individuals between Spain and Portugal. But, in parallel to this encouraging increase, WWF denounces the resurgence of poaching, one of the main factors that brought the lynx to the brink of extinction. It is the second biggest cause of unnatural mortality of the species (5%), very close to roadkill (6%).

WWF’s analysis reveals that 233 lynx were illegaly killed from 2000 to 2021, the latest year for which data is available. Some of these crimes are caused by non-selective, cruel and illegal hunting methods, such as poisoned bait or leghold traps. Other times, the killing is intentional: this year, a hunter was sentenced to two years and one day in prison for shooting an Iberian lynx at point-blank range in Don Benito (Badajoz).

But the sentence was exceptional, as the vast majority of such crimes go unpunished or are never reported. According to this new analysis, only 30% of lynx deaths due to poaching are detected. This is despite the fact that the lynx is the most closely monitored species on the Iberian Peninsula: there is a detailed scientific monitoring programme for the species, with thousands of camera traps throughout its range, and captive-bred lynx are released equipped with GPS transmitters.

Since 2008, only five cases have gone to trial, and in four of these cases a conviction resulted. This means that only two per cent of illegal lynx killings resulted in a court conviction.

“These alarming poaching figures are a terrible reminder that wildlife crime is invisible,” says Silvia Díaz Lora, coordinator of the LIFE SWiPE project at WWF Spain. “If it is still possible to kill a lynx, the greatest treasure of the Iberian wildlife, with impunity, it is obvious that more resources and political will are needed to prosecute these crimes”.

This reality is also reflected in the national report on wildlife crime in Spain carried out as part of the LIFE SWiPE project. According to the research, between 2015 and 2020 the majority of wildlife crimes were related to poaching and less than 1% resulted in convictions.

Despite these figures, Spain is at the forefront of Europe in the fight against wildlife crime. For example, the Badajoz conviction was the result of exemplary collaborative work between different agents and administrations: the Extremadura LIFE LynxConnect team immediately alerted when the GPS collar of the shot lynx emitted a suspicious signal, and the environmental agents of the Junta and the Canine Unit of the Seprona of the Guardia Civil, specialised in these crimes, found the body and the necessary evidence.

Focusing on coexistence and preventive measures

There is no single motivation behind illegal lynx deaths. But according to our analysis, the problem is more frequent where conflicts have arisen after the species reintroduction, often related to reports of attacks on chicken coops or small livestock farms.

“The lynx is a widely accepted and loved species in its new territories, including the livestock and hunting communities. It is essential to anticipate conflicts and invest in preventive measures, such as reinforcing chicken coops, something that is already being done in many areas where the LIFE LynxConnect project is working,” said Ramón Pérez de Ayala, head of lynx conservation at WWF Spain.

Thanks to funding from the EU’s LIFE programme and the collaborative work of multiple actors – from the administration leading the recovery projects, to conservation NGOs and the hunting sector – the Iberian lynx is almost halfway to the point where it could stop being considered endangered. The greatest increase has occurred in reintroduction areas such as the Montes de Toledo, where the lynx became extinct in the 1990s. Social acceptance has been vital for the species to regain its former domain, and each release of a captive-bred lynx has become a cause for pride and celebration in the villages.