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Research overview

Research overview: Iberian lynx dispersal and reintroduction movements

The Iberian lynx, once the world's most endangered cat, has been the subject of intensive telemetry as part of a celebrated recovery program in Spain and Portugal. This overview describes how GPS collars tracked the dispersal of juveniles from natal areas and the establishment of translocated and captive-bred individuals released into restored habitat. Movement data revealed dispersal distances, the corridors and stepping-stones lynx use between fragmented populations, and the heavy toll of roads, which are a leading cause of mortality. The overview discusses how telemetry guided release-site selection, post-release monitoring, and corridor protection that helped drive one of conservation's notable success stories. Iberian lynx movement research stands as a model of how tracking informs the recovery of a critically endangered felid.

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