Cristina Hodgson
THERE’S no place like home and for the last few days an Iberian lynx has taken up residence in a quiet town in Extremadura.
Esparragosa de Lares, with a population of under 1000 inhabitants, has a new kid on the block.
For several days now, an Iberian lynx has been seen visiting this village and walking through its streets as if it were in its natural habitat, showing no signs of being alarmed or frightened by the presence of its human neighbours.
In fact, the wild cat isn’t camera shy either, permitting the villagers to photograph and video it on various occasions.
Footage shows the lynx hanging around the terrace of the restaurant El Paraiso, strolling peacefully and going to a nearby orchard to rest before the astonished gaze of the customers.
The town mayor, Fernando Garcia Arevalo, has informed that the authorities have already been contacted and it is foreseen that the cat will be transferred to its natural habitat shortly.
There are currently more than 200 Iberian lynx which live in Extremadura, thanks to the reintroduction of this emblematic animal in the region which began in 2014.
A programme which has seen the collaboration of different administrations, companies, town councils, hunting federations, owners, managers, NGOs, Natural Environment Agents, the Ministry (OAPN) and Seprona.
READ MORE:
- WATCH: First Iberian Lynx cubs born this season in Spain’s Doñana
- Iberian lynx: How Spain brought the world’s most endangered cat back from the brink of extinction
- Ten very good reasons to make Extremadura your next travel destination in Spain
