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Officials Identify White Iberian Lynx in Jaén as Known Female; Color Shift Seen as Temporary Depigmentation

Project scientists attribute the white coat to a reversible loss of pigment linked to environmental or stress-related triggers.

Overview

  • The animal is Satureja, a tracked female born in 2021 under Andalusia’s Iberian lynx recovery program.
  • Photographer Ángel Hidalgo captured photos and video in the Jaén mountains after months of camera-trap monitoring, with the exact site withheld for protection.
  • Program coordinators reject claims of leucism or albinism and describe a non-genetic depigmentation that has been observed once before in Andalusia and later reversed.
  • Officials report normal behavior and health for Satureja, noting she continues to hunt successfully and has produced litters.
  • Technicians are analyzing samples and field conditions while exploring environmental factors such as stress or possible agrochemical exposure in nearby olive landscapes.