A bizarre turn of events will see the established and highly successful Portuguese team at the only Centre for Captive Breeding of Iberian Lynx in the country replaced by a team with no knowledge of Iberian Lynxes, no transition period and no plan with the breeding centres in Spain.

Rodrigo Serra had led the extraordinarily successful National Breeding Centre in Silves since its inception, leaving his work with lions in Africa to undertake his own training with lynxes across the Spanish lynx breeding centres. He was responsible for interviewing the team that has now been in place for 15 years. He will be replaced at the end of this month by someone with experience with ‘companion’ animals.

There has been a growing outcry in the Portuguese media at this disorganised and abrupt change in management. But it is far from certain that this will be enough to put a halt to this ridiculous situation.

The Iberian Lynxes held in captivity have already given birth; this year’s cubs will soon be checked and selected for their suitability for reintroductions across Spain and Portugal. This is a job for experienced professionals.

The new team – with just 2 weeks left before the contracts with the current team ends – is now being recruited according to the Portuguese Conservation Agency. The haphazard, last-minute reassurances are anything but reassuring, and the precious ‘Vulnerable’ Iberian Lynxes lives hang in the balance at the whim of Administrators who seem to think that the combined experience and skill of the national team can be replaced.