Portugal allocates five million euros for the Conservation of the Iberian Lynx
Nature News Europe - Portugal is allocating five million euros for the Conservation of the Iberian Lynx through an Action Plan under a Decree published on October 21st in the Government Gazette. The Conservation Plan for the Iberian Lynx follows the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Armenia. Portugal announced concrete measures for investment in nature conservation, demonstrating that it is possible to transform commitments to biodiversity protection into effective results on the ground. Here is the Conservation Status as well as the Conservation Plan for the Iberian Lynx in Portugal in 2026:
What is the Conservation Status of the Iberian Lynx?
The Conservation Status of the Iberian Lynx in Portugal in 2026 is as follows:
After disappearing from the wild in the national territory, the Iberian lynx has returned and its population reached 394 individuals in 2025, the result of a continued effort in conservation, habitat recovery, scientific knowledge and cooperation between Portugal and Spain.
In 2024, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) changed the classification of the Iberian Lynx from "Endangered" to "Vulnerable," recognizing the progress achieved in recent years. Despite this positive development, consolidating the Iberian lynx population requires continued protection measures and a reduction in the factors that still threaten its survival.
"A species that disappeared from our territory is now recovering thanks to scientific knowledge, cooperation, and continued investment. We want to consolidate this success and demonstrate that the same path can be followed in the recovery of other threatened ecosystems and species" - Portugal´s Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho.
The Government of Portugal has approved the new Action Plan for the Conservation of the Iberian Lynx in Portugal (PACLIP 2026-2030), which reinforces measures to protect the species, restore its habitats and increase its population in the national territory, also providing for compensation for damages associated with the presence of the Iberian lynx.
One of the new aspects of the decree is the proposal for a support and compensation scheme for damages associated with the presence of the Iberian lynx, with the aim of preventing conflicts with landowners, farmers and livestock breeders and promoting greater acceptance of the species in the territories where it occurs.
Portugal´s conservation plan for the Iberian Lynx covers the entire continental territory, with particular emphasis on areas where the national population occurs, namely in the Lower Alentejo and the Algarve, and in regions with potential for the species' expansion, including areas of historical occurrence such as the Serra da Malcata.
“The recovery of the Iberian lynx is one of the best examples that it is possible to reverse the loss of biodiversity” - Portugal´s Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho.
What is the Conservation Plan for the Iberian Lynx in Portugal?
The PACLIP 2026-2030 establishes the Conservation Plan for the Iberian lynx in Portugal, focused on consolidating existing populations, improving and expanding favorable habitats, and creating conditions for the species to continue to recover in national territory.
Among the main measures planned for the Conservation of the Iberian Lynx in Portugal are the strengthening of monitoring, the reduction of mortality factors, namely roadkill, the recovery of wild rabbit populations - the main prey of the Iberian lynx, and the improvement of ecological connectivity between territories, allowing the natural circulation and expansion of the species.
The conservation plan for the Iberian lynx in Portugal covers the entire continental territory, with particular emphasis on areas where the national population occurs, namely in the Lower Alentejo and the Algarve, and in regions with potential for the species' expansion, including areas of historical occurrence such as the Serra da Malcata.
Its implementation will be coordinated by the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), in conjunction with scientific entities, environmental organizations, rural landowners, and representatives from the agricultural and hunting sectors, reinforcing the cooperation necessary for the conservation of the species.
The conservation plan for the Iberian lynx in Portugal includes new mechanisms for monitoring and compensating for damages. One of the new aspects of the Decree is the requirement for the ICNF (Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests) to present, by December 31, 2026, a proposal for a support and compensation scheme for damages associated with the presence of the Iberian lynx, with the aim of preventing conflicts with landowners, farmers and livestock breeders and promoting greater acceptance of the species in the territories where it occurs.
The conservation plan also includes mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating results, with the submission of semi-annual reports to the supervisory authority and an interim evaluation in 2028, which will allow for possible adjustments to the planned measures.
The overall funding of five million euros until 2030 includes an annual allocation of 650,000 euros from the Environmental Fund, intended for the implementation of the conservation measures foreseen in the plan, and 350,000 euros annually for the ex situ conservation component, within the framework of the cooperation protocol signed between ICNF and Águas do Algarve.
The publication in the Official Gazette of the new PACLIP, during COP17, reflects Portugal's commitment to a nature conservation policy based on investment, cooperation and measurable results, and demonstrates that biodiversity recovery is possible when there is continuity in measures to protect and enhance ecosystems.
