Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) breeding in olive tree plantations

Abstract

At the turn of the 21st century, <100 Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) individuals were found to occur in Southern Spain. Research conducted when the species was that scarce identified Mediterranean scrubland as its breeding habitat. In recent years, the population has grown both in number of individuals and occupied surface. Here, we describe the use of olive tree plantations with low scrub density as breeding habitats by the Iberian lynx. Our results suggest that habitats that were formerly considered as non-suitable, such as agricultural land, could indeed host Iberian lynx breeding territories in areas with low scrubland coverage if wild rabbits are abundant.