Overview
- Spanish photographer Ángel Hidalgo captured and later filmed the pale lynx after first spotting it on October 22 while reviewing camera-trap footage in the Jaén range.
- Experts identified the animal as leucistic rather than albino, noting normal eye pigmentation and a cream-white coat consistent with partial pigment loss.
- Authorities and the photographer are withholding the precise location to prevent disturbance or harm as video and images spread widely online.
- Scientists warn the pale coat could undermine camouflage, potentially reducing hunting success and increasing exposure to threats in the wild.
- Conservation groups credit coordinated breeding, habitat restoration and EU LIFE-backed efforts with the species’ rebound, with some reports noting its IUCN status was revised to vulnerable in 2024.