Iberian Lynx

The Iberian Lynx is the world's most threatened species of cat, and the most threatened carnivore in Europe

The Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus), sometimes referred to as the Spanish Lynx, is a critically endangered feline mammal native to Spain and Portugal in Southern Europe. The species often used to be misclassified as a subspecies of theEurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), but is now considered a separate species. Both species evolved together in central Europe in the Pleistocene epoch. In Spanish however, many people call this lynx "gato montés", which actually refers to the Wildcat (Felis silvestris).

The Iberian lynx weighs 9 - 13 kg (20 - 30 lb). It usually occurs in a mosaic of woodland or dense scrub and open pasture where it feeds mainly on rabbits. This cat is predominantly nocturnal and is an excellent tree climber. It uses a variety of locations for breeding lairs, even including old stork nests as much as 9 - 12 m (30 - 40') above the ground. Home ranges of males and females generally do not overlap other ranges of the same sex. Male ranges overlap one or more female ranges.

Status-critically endangered

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