The Iberian lynx was once the world's most endangered felid, with its population reduced to fewer than 100 individuals, but a successful breeding and reintroduction programme has brought it back from the brink while raising important welfare considerations.
Iberian lynx in captive breeding facilities face welfare challenges typical of solitary felids — insufficient space, limited social complexity, and the risk of losing natural hunting behaviours essential for post-release survival. Welfare in captive facilities must be balanced against conservation success. Released lynx face adjustment stress, territorial establishment challenges, and the risk of road strikes — a leading cause of mortality that causes severe trauma. Welfare monitoring of released individuals through GPS collaring allows rescue of injured animals and refinement of release protocols. The recovery of this species represents one of conservation's great successes, but individual welfare costs during the process deserve acknowledgement and management.