Southern Europe’s lynx is facing extinction and researchers have predicted that climate change will totally wipe out the remaining number of the species. Described as a type of bobcat by Americans, the Iberian lynx had been sharply declining in their number primarily because their main food, rabbits, has been over hunted by humans. (Photo : Reuters)
By Julie S | Jul 21, 2013
Southern Europe’s lynx is facing extinction and researchers have predicted that climate change will totally wipe out the remaining number of the species. Described as a type of bobcat by Americans, the Iberian lynx had been sharply declining in their number primarily because their main food, rabbits, has been over hunted by humans.
On the other hand, Miguel Araujo of Spain’s National Museum of Natural Sciences believed that there is a different and more harmful reason why the Iberian lynx is becoming extinct. He has identified the culprit as climate change which could eradicate the whole lynx population by the second half of the century. If that’s the case, the ongoing efforts to conserve the animals would prove to be futile in the long run and would just prolong their predicament.
Researchers are suggesting that a new plan must be devised in order help the cat species to survive from food scarcity and anticipate climate change that are affecting their habitat in southern Europe.
Araujo and his team have been conducting an investigative effort to determine combined effects on prey and conservation methods meant for the Iberian lynx’s survival by using ecological-based models while anticipating climate change at the same time. They have defined anticipated climate change as something that would rapidly and severely lessen the lynx population and cause its extinction in the wild in a span of 50 years even if global efforts to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gas have been strong.
The group added that climate change will surpass the animal’s adaptive capacity or make them unable to reach other areas that have a more favourable climate and filled with prey for their food. They also pointed out that it remains to be seen whether efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions become successful or not.
On a positive note, the group stated that as long as a reintroduction program has been carefully planned which could successfully account the effects of climate change, abundance of prey, and habitat connectivity, the lynx’s imminent extinction can actually be averted. Likewise, advocates of lynx preservation and land managers are challenged by the team to present a different approach.
The study was published in the July 21 issue of Climate Change.