| Sometimes known as Europe's
tiger, the continent's only native
wild cat once roamed Spain, Portugal
and southern France. Now there are only two breeding
populations left, and conservationists
say the last few animals may die out
in the next few years. The report says the EU's contributed to the
lynx's decline by subsidising roads,
dams and farming schemes that have killed wild cats and destroyed
their habitat.
The organisation that carried out the research, SOS Lynx, says
there's little time left to save the species because it's so close
to extinction. It's calling for
a change in political policy to protect the animal's habitat and
safeguard its future. Priorities include setting up a
captive breeding programme to release animals back into the wild,
and legislation to control hunting and development in lynx areas.
If more isn't done, it says, Europe faces the terrible embarrassment
of the first extinction of a big cat species since pre-historic
times.
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native: a native animal is one that
lives naturally in a particular area, it has not been brought
in from somewhere else
roamed: travelled around
breeding populations: groups of
the animal that are mating and producing children
conservationists: people who work
to protect the environment
die out: if an animal species dies
out, then they are all dead
subsidizing: giving money to help
pay for something
habitat: the natural area where
an animal lives
extinction: when all of a particular animal or plant
species are dead and there can be no more, ever
safeguard: protect
a captive breeding programme to release
animals back into the wild: a plan to capture some of
the animals so that they can have children safely - the children
would then be returned to their natural habitat
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