IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Palomares, F. | |
| Integrating scientific knowledge in the conservation plans | |
| 2004 Conference Proceeding | |
Now more than ever actions are being taken aimed at maintaining and improving the Iberian lynx populations. The situation of the lynx is critical, and the main objective of current measures should be to increase the size of the only two populations still existing in the wild. In the last few decades research has been conducted on the basic biology and ecology of the species, analysing such disparate aspects as diet, use of habitat, size of territories, reproduction, dispersal and social organization, which should serve as a starting point for any recovery plan for the species. Also, population dynamic models have been developed which provide information on the probabilities of extinction of the existing populations, as well as of the priority sites for action. With all this information we can now develop and promote conservation plans based on scientific knowledge of the species, habitats, or prey, which will allow us to work considering both the biology of the species and the places or areas where management measures should take place. However, actual conservation in nature is very complex since many diverse variables are involved, both regarding the species to be protected as well as those it depends on or relates to. This leads to a frequent occurrence of unforeseeable events and unexpected issues, resulting, usually, from a lack of accurate and reliable information on very specific aspects, pertaining to the conservation strategy or action chosen. Therefore, any conservation plan should, first of all, be based on as much scientific knowledge as possible, and secondly, it should foresee a scientifically rigorous monitoring to assess success and any possible unexpected problems. |
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