We contribute to the conservation of two emblematic species of our terrestrial biodiversity, whose population is experiencing a clear recovery.

We contribute to the conservation of two emblematic species of our terrestrial biodiversity: the brown bear and the Iberian lynx, two threatened species whose population, however, is experiencing a clear recovery in recent years.

The brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) is one of the largest land animals in Europe. The specimens that inhabit the Iberian Peninsula can measure up to two meters long and the males can weigh up to 200 kg, while the females do not exceed 100 kg. This omnivore is characterized by having a sharp ear and a very fine sense of smell, this being its most developed sense. In addition, it is considered a good swimmer and they are usually solitary animals, except in the breeding season, between the months of May and July.

In Spain there are around 340 specimens distributed in two populations: one in the Cantabrian Mountains, of almost 300 individuals, and another in the Pyrenees, of more than 40 specimens, according to data from the Brown Bear Foundation. They usually live in high mountain wooded areas (between 1,100 and 1,400 meters of altitude). Together with Italy and France, our country is home to the European populations of brown bears with the highest risk of disappearing, although thanks to the efforts made, the Spanish population is clearly recovering. The brown bear is a valuable example of biodiversity in Spain and the achievements of conservation of threatened species.

The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition has been promoting its protection and conservation for more than 14 years, supporting, among other initiatives, those of the Brown Bear Foundation, which is currently developing three projects for the conservation of the species.

One of these projects carries out actions to contribute to the compatibility of the tourist activities of brown bear observation and the conservation of the species and its habitat in the main bear areas of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees. Another initiative, the LIFE16 GIE/ES/000621 project, seeks to improve the knowledge and appreciation of the Natura 2000 Network and the brown bear among the population of the bear areas of the smallest and most threatened subpopulations of the Iberian Peninsula.

In addition, the Brown Bear Foundation coordinates a project carried out by the Galician Association of Territorial Stewardship and the Xunta de Galicia and which includes actions to promote the expansion of the Cantabrian brown bear to new territories in the Sierra do Courel, in Galicia. This initiative, LIFE OSO COUREL, also has our.

Along with the brown bear, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is another of the most emblematic species of the Iberian Peninsula and, in turn, the most endangered feline on the planet. It has an unmistakable robust appearance, with long legs and a short tail with a black tassel at the end that it usually keeps upright by beating it in times of danger. Its ears are topped by characteristic brushes composed of stiff black hairs and its hair has a coloration that varies from brown to grayish.

Currently, thanks to conservation and reintroduction programs, it is estimated that just over 500 specimens live in the wild in the Mediterranean forests of Portugal, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia. Lynxes choose these habitats because they need to live surrounded by abundant scrub and in areas with abundant prey. It is considered an agile hunter, especially rabbits, which account for 80% of its diet. It also feeds on partridges and other small mammals or birds.

The serious decline of the species has historically been caused by hunting with non-selective methods, such as traps and snares, but especially by the decline of its main prey species, the wild rabbit. Precisely to guarantee rabbit populations, WWF Spain develops the “SOS Rabbit” project, with the support of the Foundation. An initiative that seeks to carry out a national census of rabbit populations and establish measures to promote their populations, among others, which contributes to the increase in Iberian lynx specimens.

If you want to know which species of our fauna we contribute to conserve and protect, supporting different projects, here you have all the information.