10.24.2007 12:00 AM

Spain Discovers New Population of Iberian Lynx

Cat is One of the Most Endangered Species in the World

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Photo: Jesus Cobo / WWF-Spain

By Dan Shapley

Spain has discovered a new population of Iberian lynx, one of the world's most endangered cats, the World Wildlife Fund announced Tuesday.

The group, made up of both adults and cubs, was found in the Castilla - La Mancha region of central Spain. A larger population of about 110 cats is known to live in the south, and scientists don't yet know if the two groups intermingle.

According to WWF, the Iberian Lynx faces "myriad threats -- a lack of prey, accidental deaths from cars and trucks on Spanish roads, and new construction work destroying habitats." The group wants to protect the area inhabited by the newly discovered lynx under the European Union's Natura 2000 program.

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