Iberian Lynx: 2,663 and Counting

Fewer than 100 in 2002. A record high in 2025.

The Iberian lynx was once the world’s most endangered cat. The latest official census tells a different story.

• 2,663 lynxes were counted across Spain and Portugal in 2025, an all-time high and up 10.9 percent in a year.
• 952 cubs were born in 2025.
• 542 territorial females were recorded, 72 more than the year before.
• 424 animals have been released through reintroduction programs since 2011.
• In 2024 the IUCN moved the species from Endangered to Vulnerable.

The lynx’s fortunes rise and fall with the European rabbit, its main prey, and many die on rural roads. If you drive through lynx country in Spain or Portugal, slow down.

The Cat House Foundation ■ Modeling for a Cause. Photo: Pexels.