The [portuguese] Minister for the environment defended on Saturday, that the reintroduction of the Iberian lynx in [Portugal] can attract people to desertified areas, but warned of the need for a balanced coexistence of species alongside with hunting and farming.
“The biggest challenge is to achieve compatibility of uses within the same territory in a balanced way,” said Assunção Cristas, stressing that the regions where it is planned to be introduced lynx will be valued economically.
According to the Minister, the coexistence of species with hunting, agriculture and other activities will allow the existence of a territory more “rich”, ”ordered” and ”capable to attract people”.
The Minister for the Agriculture, Marine, Environment and Land Use spoke on Saturday, alongside the presentation of the Plan of Action of the Iberian Lynx, the national breeding center for the Iberian lynx, in Silves.
The project being developed in cooperation with Spain is the captive breeding of that species, in order to reverse the process of decline and recover the population cores that existed before.
Only this year were born in the center of Silves 21 Iberian lynx cubs (four did not survive), a success rate since the previous breeding season, which runs between December and March, where none of the offspring survived.
In less than a year some of these animals can be reintroduced into their natural habitat in some areas of the country that, according to Assunção Cristas, are already being prepared for such as Moura in the Alentejo.
Source: Jornal de Notícias
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