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The Iberian lynx sets foot on Catalan soil again: ‘Secreto’ reappears in the Pre-Pyrenees after decades of absence
After more than half a century of feline silence, Catalonia once again hears the echo of the Iberian lynx in its mountains.
A specimen has been detected in the Prepirineo de Lleida, marking the return of this mythical species to Catalan territory for the first time in seven years.
The protagonist is called Secreto, a four-year-old male bred in captivity and released in 2022 in the Sierra Norte de Sevilla. Against all odds, he has travelled hundreds of kilometres under his own steam to settle in a natural corner where his ancestors roamed freely until the middle of the 20th century.
The image confirming his presence was captured in March by a camera trap installed by the Agentes Rurales as part of the protected-fauna monitoring programme. His distinctive coat and GPS collar have made it possible to identify him precisely.
From being on the brink of extinction in 2000 to exceeding 2,000 specimens in 2025, the Iberian lynx has become a symbol of an exemplary recovery. Secreto’s arrival in Catalunya is not only a reunion with its past, but a promise for the future: natural recolonisation is already under way, this time with more hope than ever.