THE FATE OF THESE ANIMALS

...and the threat of extinction

Sadly, the diversity of species represented at Lagar Velho is unparalleled today. Several are threatened, endangered or already extinct in certain geographical areas of the planet, as the many red lists of endangered species show.
The bearded vulture, the Iberian lynx (Linx pardinus) and the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) are examples of endangered species in the Iberian Peninsula and efforts are being made to reverse the situation. In Portugal, the reintroduction of the Iberian lynx began in 2015 in the Guadiana Valley, with positive results. This feline is seriously endangered worldwide, even at risk of extinction. The bearded vulture, on the other hand, disappeared from Portuguese territory by the end of the 19th century. King Carlos I is said to have shot the two specimens that are now on display at the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra. The lynx is still an endangered species throughout Europe, with a distribution area limited to a few mountain ranges, particularly in the Pyrenees, within legally protected natural parks. The wolf has always been... the Big Bad Wolf! Due to the destruction of its habitats and the scarcity of wild prey, wolves are forced to steal from their neighbours' farms, killing domestic livestock for consumption. This is a potentially endangered species in Portugal and is therefore strictly protected by law.
It is up to all of us, without exception, to contribute to the conservation of species and their habitats in order to enrich the biodiversity that once existed, for the benefit of populations and the planet itself.