IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Ruiz, G.; Franco, J.A.; Lopez, M.; Fernandez, L.; Lopez, G.; Simon, M.A. | |
| Genetic re-stocking in the Do¤ana Iberian lynx population | |
| 2008 Conference Proceeding | |
The main goal of the first Iberian lynx translocation, which took place in late 2007 under the framework of the Iberian lynx LIFE conservation Project (LIFE06NAT/E/209), was to achieve a genetic reinforcement of the inbred Do¤ana population, although also a demographic reinforcement was pursued. Even though the original restocking project was scheduled to take place in a different part of the Protected Area, a crisis management led to reconsider the initial release site. The initially selected place was the Biological Reserve of Do¤ana, where the protection level is the highest in all Do¤ana and where there is enough suitable non-occupied surface of good habitat to host a new territory. But given that the Feline Leukaemia Virus outbreak that hit Do¤ana in 2007 wiped out all males living in _Coto del Rey _subpopulation (5 adult breeding and 3 subadult males) (L¢pez et al. 2009; Meli et al. 2009), the final choice was to release a Sierra Morena-coming male in such nucleus of the Do¤ana National Park. Although its prior objective was to increase the genetic diversity of the Do¤ana population, this specific management also pursued to decrease the potential risk of short-term extinction of the Do¤ana Iberian lynx population. Moreover, the translocation of a male had the partial objective of ensuring all three resident females living in southern Coto del Rey did not leave the nucleus in search of a mate during the imminent breeding season. |
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