The Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus Conservation Breeding Program

The Iberian Lynx Conservation Breeding Program fol- lows a multidisciplinary approach, integrated within the National Strategy for the Conservation of the Iberian lynx, which is carried out in cooperation with national, regional and international institutions. The main goals of the ex situ conservat...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Vargas, Astrid, Sánchez, Íñigo, Martínez, F., Rivas, A., Godoy, José A., Delibes, M.
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2008
País:España
Recursos:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:digitalcsic_::e29871d82447d7073783a4a5d8764899
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/50244
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Adaptive management
Applied research
Conservation breeding
ex situ
Husbandry
Iberian lynx
Descrição
Resumo:The Iberian Lynx Conservation Breeding Program fol- lows a multidisciplinary approach, integrated within the National Strategy for the Conservation of the Iberian lynx, which is carried out in cooperation with national, regional and international institutions. The main goals of the ex situ conservation programme are to: (1) maintain a genetically and demographically managed captive popu- lation; (2) create new Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus free- ranging populations through re-introduction. To achieve the first goal, the Conservation Breeding Program aims to maintain 85% of the genetic diversity presently found in the wild for the next 30 years. This requires developing and maintaining 60–70 Iberian lynx as breeding stock. Growth projections indicate that the ex situ programme should achieve such a population target by the year 2010. Once this goal is reached, re-introduction efforts could begin. Thus, current ex situ efforts focus on producing psychologically and physically sound captive-born indi- viduals. To achieve this goal, we use management and research techniques that rely on multidisciplinary input and knowledge generated on species’ life history, beha- viour, nutrition, veterinary and health aspects, genetics, reproductive physiology, endocrinology and ecology. Particularly important is adapting our husbandry schemes based on research data to promote natural behaviours in captivity (hunting, territoriality, social interactions) and a stress-free environment that is conducive to natural reproduction.