Research overview: Doñana and Sierra Morena, the last lynx refuges

By the early 2000s the Iberian lynx survived in just two isolated populations, in Doñana and the eastern Sierra Morena of southern Spain, each small, fragmented, and at acute risk of extinction. This overview surveys research on these relict populations that anchored the species' recovery. Studies documented their tiny size, low genetic diversity, and vulnerability to disease, road kills, and prey collapse, while serving as the source and reference for restoration. Doñana in particular suffered from isolation and inbreeding, prompting genetic-rescue measures. Researchers used these populations to understand the demographic and genetic state from which recovery had to begin. The overview frames them as the critical starting point of the comeback, illustrating both how close the lynx came to extinction and how detailed monitoring of remnant populations guided the strategy that ultimately rebuilt the species.