The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is among the most difficult cats to photograph in Europe. The population has recovered significantly from its low point – once among the world’s rarest cats – but sightings in the wild are still hard-won, & getting strong images requires patience, fieldcraft, & a good deal of heat tolerance in the Spanish summer.
This is my trip report from leading our Iberian Lynx in Summer photography holiday. I have covered the daily sessions, what we saw, the conditions we worked in, & some notes on photographing the Iberian lynx from hides in the Sierra Morena.
Day 1 – Arrival in the Scorching Spanish Heat
We flew into Spain & drove straight to the Parque Natural de Sierra Morena, a key stronghold for the Iberian lynx. The heat hit us immediately – mid-thirties & climbing. Over dinner we ran through the week’s plan & talked about what to expect from the hides.
Day 2 – First Time Photographing the Iberian Lynx & The Importance of Rabbits
An early start into the hides. No lynx that morning, but the supporting cast kept us busy – azure-winged magpies, nuthatches, & bee-eaters all came through. The wild rabbits were everywhere, & several of the group spent the session working on rabbit portraits at close range.
Why Rabbits Matter?
The Iberian lynx is a specialist predator – rabbits make up 80-90% of its diet. They will occasionally take partridge, young deer, or duck, but without a healthy rabbit population the lynx cannot breed successfully. The abundance of rabbits around the hides is a direct indicator of lynx activity in the area.
The afternoon delivered our first lynx. A female entered the clearing & caught a rabbit within minutes. She carried it into the scrub to feed, then returned an hour later for a second hunt – this time pausing with her prey in the open, giving us a clean sequence before she disappeared into the undergrowth.
Just after sunset, a second female appeared – identifiable by her longer facial ruff. She hunted without success but came down to the waterhole for a long drink & perched briefly on a rock before slipping away in the fading light. The low sun angle made for warm, atmospheric frames.
Day 3 – Thunderstorms & A Shy Male Lynx
We woke to thunder & lightning rolling across the hills. The morning session was dead quiet – no birdsong, nothing moving.
The afternoon was better. A male lynx was already present when we entered the hide, resting in the remains of an old structure. He moved cautiously along the treeline, staying low in the grass to avoid alerting the rabbits. He held back for nearly an hour, too wary to step into the open. We did not get clean frames, but watching him work the terrain was instructive – you could see exactly how they use cover to close the distance.
Day 4 – A Rabbit Bonanza
No lynx today. The rabbits kept us occupied though, & one bold individual with a notch in his ear parked himself near the hide for most of the session. The group named him Gary. He gave us some genuinely close portraits – sharp eyes, backlit whiskers, the kind of detail you only get when a subject is completely relaxed.
Day 5 – A Mother & Son Duo
The best day of the trip. At dawn, a female lynx appeared with her young male offspring – identifiable by his shorter facial ruff. The mother hunted while the juvenile watched & tried to follow her technique. We had hours with them, photographing the full range of behaviour – stalking approaches, resting in the shade of the cork oaks, & two successful rabbit kills.
By afternoon the heat was fierce – the air shimmered with heat haze, making anything beyond about 30 metres soft in the viewfinder. Another female came in, panting heavily & seeking shade inside the old hide structure before dropping down for a drink. Later, the cautious young male from day three returned, making several unsuccessful hunting runs before retreating into cover.
Day 6 – Heat, Hoopoes & Late-Night Lynx
The morning session produced hoopoes foraging in the clearing – good practice for tracking a moving subject against a busy background. The afternoon was punishingly hot until sunset, when a male lynx walked in. Just as the light faded, a female showed briefly, & then the male returned for one final pass. Three sightings in the last hour of usable light.
Day 7 – Farewell to Sierra Morena
No lynx on the final morning, but with nine separate lynx encounters across the week, nobody was disappointed. The trip delivered strong results – a good variety of individuals, hunting behaviour, mother-&-cub interaction, & portraits in decent light.
Species Photographed on This Trip
Mammals
- Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)
- Wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Birds
- Azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cooki)
- Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
- European bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
- Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Final Thoughts
The Iberian lynx remains one of the rarest cats in the world, & the week gave us a genuine window into their behaviour. From a mother demonstrating hunting technique to her cub to the careful, deliberate stalking of solitary males, every encounter produced images worth keeping.
I will be back in November for our Iberian Lynx of the Spanish Winter photography holiday. Cooler temperatures should mean more daytime activity & less heat haze – conditions that suit tighter portraits & longer working sessions from the hides.
