The Doñana area in Andalucía, southern Spain, is one of the most important areas for the Iberian Lynx, as well as being globally important for many bird species and the location of a prestigious World Heritage Site – the Doñana National Park. In addition, much of the area has been designated by the EU and the Spanish Government as a “Natura 2000” site. Unfortunately, however, the area has been subjected to rapid and unsustainable development in recent years, threatening the survival of the current breeding lynx population as well as the long term viability of the national park itself, and contradicting the aim of Natura 2000 sites as “providing rare and vulnerable animals, plants and habitats with increased protection and management”.

Doñana is the site of one of only two known breeding populations of Iberian Lynx. Around 30 lynx live here and the lynx range covers around 150,000 ha, as shown below. Although almost all this area is within designated Natura 2000 areas, many lynx living in the area have not been protected in recent years from the loss and fragmentation of habitat, and the threat from fast road traffic.

In addition to the growth in road traffic, a lot of valuable habitat for lynx and other species has been consumed and fragmented by illegal and legal developments in intensive agriculture, particularly strawberry production. This has occurred right up to the boundary of the National Park and has been particularly problematic for the Iberian Lynx as most individuals now live outside the protected area, which is itself too small to support a viable lynx population and lacks sufficient rabbit prey.

The Doñana protected area (National Park and Natural Park) has – in effect – been protected and managed as an “island” surrounded and isolated by fast roads and intensive development almost devoid of natural vegetation. This contradicts established best practice in nature reserve management and has contributed directly to the decline in the Doñana lynx population.

Government agencies, scientists and NGOs have spent a lot of time, money and effort on conservation projects for the lynx and other species in the Doñana area, including hunting surveillance and control, rabbit recovery and habitat management. However, these efforts continue to be contradicted and undermined by the growth of intensive agriculture and fast road traffic.

The people who live and work in the Doñana area of course have a right to economic development. However, there are many other development options that are a lot more “sustainable” than the current trajectory and much more appropriate for an area that includes: a natural World Heritage Site; a breeding population of the world's most endangered feline, and; many rare bird species. Moreover, rather than being a victim of development, the area's natural heritage could and should be used to promote and direct sustainable development, benefiting both humans and the lynx.

Some efforts have been made to promote sustainable development in the area – including under the “Doñana 21” label – and signs, fences, rumble strips and underpasses have been installed on some roads. However, these efforts have, as yet, proved largely ineffective at halting the loss and fragmentation of habitat to intensive agriculture and the growth and impact of fast road traffic.

Find out more about and learn how you can help the beuatiful Iberian Lynx, the "Tiger of the Algarve" and Europe's only endemic feline.