Iberian Lynx; Request for Info (1 Viewer)

[Allen]

As I don't have any holidays booked between March and October this year I thought I might consider trying for Iberian Lynx over a long weekend. Does anyone have any recent first hand information on sites, best calendar timing etc? Thanks

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Nothing up to date, but the tour companies always seem to target Feb/March time; I saw 5 individuals on a tour about 8 years ago in Feb.

 

[Allen]

Thanks WP, admittedly I'd not done any homework so hadn't realised that the ideal timing was Feb/March.....might have to consider this another year then.

 

[DMW]

I was under the impression that December was the optimum time, as it's the height of the mating season when they are most vocal. I believe it's also quite busy, which means more eyes looking. I went in May and had several excellent sightings in a few days. There was just me and a French bloke looking.

 

[Allen]

Thanks DMW, will need to do some more serious homework on this and figure out whether to plan something in 2023. Any info on specific areas to stay/look?

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Might be worth looking at some of the companies tours to see where they stay. I went with Speyside, very happy with their accommodation, which was near to the best site and looked to have plenty of information for individual searchers. Not sure if they are still using the same place now however.

 

[DMW]

Thanks DMW, will need to do some more serious homework on this and figure out whether to plan something in 2023. Any info on specific areas to stay/look?

I stayed at the Villa Matilde, which has a website. It's well-located and was a pleasant place to stay. To be honest I can't remember the exact places I saw lynx, but it was along the same stretches of road that everybody looks, so any decent trip report should have that information. I've heard there are private hides next to waterhole now, so it's possible the strategy of driving the roads and scanning the valleys has been superceded.

 

[Allen]

Resurrecting this thread as finally considering this. I tried to find up to date info in BF/elsewhere on specifics on where stay/look but struggling to find anything. Can anyone assist/point me? Thanks

 

[Mike Richardson]

There's plenty of information on www.mammalwatching.com. This latest report is especially useful, but also check out the older reports.

https://www.mammalwatching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Trip-report-Lynx-1.pdf

I visited the area well over 10 years ago and saw some fantastic wildlife, including Iberian Lynx, Common Genet and Garden Dormouse.

 

[Owene]

I did a (not just lynx) guided trip in early April two years ago and the guides really emphasised that Winter was much much better than spring. The mating season has them actively looking for each other whereas as soon as the female is pregnant or gives birth she is much much harder to see and the males disperse.

My guide said she had 100% hit rate on naturetrek dedicated lynx trips which runs late nov and through jan and feb.

Andujar being much much better than donana even though the trip includes both

 

[Allen]

Thanks all. I wasn't sure where the La Lancha road was that seems to be referenced for viewing but found an iberian lynx viewpoint on Google maps so presume I've got the right area now

 

[David_]

I just came back from a trip to Sierra Andujar (and Cabo de Gata). I will try to find time to post a trip report during the next days.

But in short:
Yes, the marked Lynx viewing spot is on the La Lancha Road. There a several roofed Viewpoints along the road (which sadly don’t give a lot of shade so bring sunscreen). I was told the viewpoints to the end of the road have been more successful during the last weeks. It took me four days to see my first Lynx. So be prepared to spent a lot of time on that road (and maybe bring a folding chair 😉). On my sixth and last day in the Sierra I saw another Lynx at the La Jandula river close to the bridge at Presa de El Encinarejo (which is a good spot to see otters if you go very early in the morning)

I stayed at Villa Matilde which I think is the closest accommodation to La Lancha. I can highly recommend it. Owners are nice and helpful and during dinner everyone shared their sightings (or lack of) so you will get a good impression on where have been the latest sightings.

 

[JTweedie]

I had a look at the Naturetrek website and March is full, but there are spaces available on three trips in Oct-Dec.

Lynx watching in Spain

On this wildlife tour we spend our time enjoying the mammals and birds within these two, quite different, Iberian Lynx habitats. We begin in...

www.naturetrek.co.uk

 

[Owene]

I had a look at the Naturetrek website and March is full, but there are spaces available on three trips in Oct-Dec.

Lynx watching in Spain

On this wildlife tour we spend our time enjoying the mammals and birds within these two, quite different, Iberian Lynx habitats. We begin in...

www.naturetrek.co.uk

I’ve enjoyed my naturetrek trips but I think the donana half of them probably don’t contribute many lynx sightings. You’d probably be better off going to andujar and doing a few days with a local guide if you want to go down the guided route. There seem to be quite a few good ones. ( was googling it last week)

 

[Mad4Birds]

I did a (not just lynx) guided trip in early April two years ago and the guides really emphasised that Winter was much much better than spring. The mating season has them actively looking for each other whereas as soon as the female is pregnant or gives birth she is much much harder to see and the males disperse.

My guide said she had 100% hit rate on naturetrek dedicated lynx trips which runs late nov and through jan and feb.

Andujar being much much better than donana even though the trip includes both

From personal experience I can recommend Naturetrek. In 5 days I had 8 encounters - way more than I hoped for. Andujar is probably better for numbers/% siting chance but not necessarily better in quality, as the cats are habituated to the land rovers you have to use in Donna national park so I got better photos - but its all chance. The birding was pretty spectacular as well. Definitely look to go outside the season when the females are in dens - we went in Feb. If you want to travel independently & self drive then Andujar is all watched from the road

 

[Mad4Birds]

From personal experience I can recommend Naturetrek. In 5 days I had 8 encounters - way more than I hoped for. Andujar is probably better for numbers/% siting chance but not necessarily better in quality, as the cats are habituated to the land rovers you have to use in Donna national park so I got better photos - but its all chance. The birding was pretty spectacular as well. Definitely look to go outside the season when the females are in dens - we went in Feb. If you want to travel independently & self drive then Andujar is all watched from the road

Photo from Donana. (spell check doesn't like that name!)

 

[JTweedie]

I’ve enjoyed my naturetrek trips but I think the donana half of them probably don’t contribute many lynx sightings. You’d probably be better off going to andujar and doing a few days with a local guide if you want to go down the guided route. There seem to be quite a few good ones. ( was googling it last week)

There was a guy on my Naturetrek wolf watching trip last year who said they had no luck with the lynx on the above trip, but he was put in touch with someone else and went to another known site on his own. I didn't know the geography or place names when he was telling me so can't remember where he actually saw them (really close up apparently).

 

[David_]

If you go to Andujar in winter I don’t think you need a guide. After mid February you chances will probably increase with a guide but during winter you don’t really need one. Talk to the people you meet along the road and stay for few days to build a network of people who will message you if there is Lynx further up or down the road.

Andujar is probably better for numbers/% siting chance but not necessarily better in quality, as the cats are habituated to the land rovers you have to use in Donna national park so I got better photos - but its all chance.

That’s probably right.

But at least one female at Andujar is quite relaxed with people around. When I saw my first Lynx it was laying 15m from the road (where 20 people with cameras stood) and was licking its paws and cleaning itself. After a while it got up walked towards the people (the road was 2 meters higher than the area it was laying) went through a small tunnel underneath the road, stopped at the other side of the road for a few seconds so everybody could get to other side of the road and than walked slowly up the mountain.

Nice thing was nobody made any noises to get the Lynx to look into his camera or did other stupid stuff.

 

[edenwatcher]

Some good news:

One of world’s rarest cats no longer endangered - conservation agency

The Iberian lynx is now classed as "vulnerable" as numbers surge due to conservation efforts.

www.bbc.co.uk

Rob

 

[Allen]

Might be an obvious question but where is nearest airport?