As part of the LIFE LUPI LYNX project, Rewilding Portugal carried out the first reintroduction of the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus) in one of its rewilding areas (Ermo das Águias), taking a step further towards reinforcing wild rabbit populations in the Guarda and Castelo Branco regions.

In total, 17 wild rabbits were reintroduced and distributed across three artificial burrows built specifically for this purpose. Each burrow received a small breeding group, comprising four to five females and one male, creating high-density nuclei that enable the populations to establish themselves under the best possible conditions. These artificial burrows are protected by an electric fence that prevents access by predators and provides food, water and shelter. The aim is to allow the animals to adapt to the territory and breed safely during the initial phase before being released. As the population grows, the rabbits gradually begin to leave the enclosures and naturally colonise the surrounding rewilding area, eventually surviving independently.

This approach reflects a strategy based on best practices recognised in the Iberian Peninsula to accelerate the recovery of a key species in Mediterranean ecosystems. The wild rabbit is the main prey of the Iberian lynx and the Iberian imperial eagle, as well as being an important food source for more than 20 other Iberian predators, including the Iberian wolf; therefore, boosting its populations is essential to restore food webs and promote the return of large predators. The Ermo das Águias area was selected after it was confirmed that there were no wild rabbit populations in the area, both by the team of biologists based on field monitoring and through reports from former hunters, enabling the creation of a population nucleus where the species had recently been absent. This area has benefited from various rewilding initiatives over recent years, including natural grazing by Sorraia and Tauros horses, contributing to the recovery of habitats and creating increasingly favourable conditions for biodiversity.

A process that begins long before the release

The release of these animals is the result of a wider initiative that included the acquisition of a breeding enclosure – a facility dedicated to raising wild rabbits for future population reinforcement programmes. This enclosure, situated outside the rewilding areas, enables the breeding of animals for ecological restoration projects and forms a key part of the species’ recovery strategy. At the same time, the project aims to expand this capacity by establishing new breeding enclosures in partnership with local authorities, hunting associations and other landowners, thereby increasing the production of animals for future interventions. This diversification will facilitate greater genetic diversity among the rabbits used, drawing on various sources of animals and ensuring greater genetic robustness of the populations. LIFE LUPI LYNX also supports other organisations in carrying out similar actions on their land, contributing to the recovery of the wild rabbit at the landscape level and boosting the availability of this species in priority areas for the wolf and the lynx.

‍Next steps
Following this initial reintroduction, the team will continue to monitor the development of the populations in Ermo das Águias. A further reinforcement programme is also planned for the Paul de Toirões rewilding area, where new artificial burrows are currently being built to accommodate future breeding groups. Although individual Iberian lynx have been recorded scattered across the district of Castelo Branco, there are still no established populations in the region. Currently, the nearest breeding populations are in the Alentejo, with the species slowly expanding its natural range northwards. The availability of wild rabbits will be one of the key factors in ensuring that this expansion can, in the future, lead to the establishment of permanent populations in the Guarda and Castelo Branco regions. This is precisely the aim of these actions: to create the necessary conditions today so that flagship species such as the Iberian lynx and the Iberian wolf can once again inhabit this territory. The population reinforcement that has now taken place contributes directly to the objectives of the LIFE LUPI LYNX project, the successor to LIFE WolFlux, which aims to increase the availability of habitat and prey across more than 16,000 hectares of priority territory for the conservation of these two species.

A species of increasing importance for conservation
The importance of this work assumes even greater significance in the light of the latest scientific advances. An international team of researchers recently proposed that the Iberian rabbit (Oryctolagus algirus) should be recognised as a distinct species from the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), thereby reinforcing the uniqueness of this important component of the Iberian Peninsula’s biodiversity (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320726003137). Although this scientific proposal is still awaiting validation by international taxonomic authorities, the researchers believe that recognising this distinction will better reflect the conservation status of the Iberian rabbit and guide more appropriate management and conservation strategies. Should it be officially recognised, this reclassification will lend even greater significance to initiatives such as that carried out under the LIFE LUPI LYNX , which contribute to the recovery of key species in Mediterranean ecosystems and to creating the necessary conditions for the return of the Iberian lynx and the strengthening of Iberian wolf populations.

Photo credits: João Cosme

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