39 new Iberian lynx cubs are weaned and ready for their next steps in the wild or to join a new breeding centre, most of this year’s cubs will be prepared for life in the wild and be released in late winter and early spring next year. They can further boost the successful areas of reintroduction across Spain and Portugal.

The captive breeding programme has had a good year, with an 80% survival rate for captive born cubs higher than previous rates of 75%. According to the report from the Lynxexsitu programme news release.

3 of the mothers were teenagers – relatively old in lynx terms, Aliaga, Artemisa and Brisa all successfully gave birth to cubs this year. Another mother who gave birth last year for the first time but sadly lost her cub has successfully weaned 3 cubs this year.

The Portuguese national centre has 6 new cubs born to three different mothers, and Jerez Zoo where I first met Sali and Aura (in photos below as cubs back in 2002) is home to three new cubs.

Saliega and Aura in their first few days from the wild. being lovingly nursed to full health at Zoo Jerez, before becoming the first females in the captive breeding programme when it began in El Acebuche in 2004.