Iberian Lynx

Saving a Fussy Predator in Europe, With Help From 50,000 Rabbits

By RAPHAEL MINDER MARCH 31, 2018

An Iberian lynx named Oretana running free after her release in the mountain range of Sierra Morena in southern Spain.

VILCHES, Spain — The Iberian lynx is a picky eater. Despite its agility and speed, it almost only chases rabbits.

This narrow choice of prey helps explain why this feline came close to extinction less than two decades ago, after disease wiped out large numbers of rabbits from the Iberian Peninsula. But a vast breeding and relocation program has now turned the lynx into a flagship example of Europe’s efforts to maintain its biodiversity.