Paper short abstract:

A study on perceptions towards reintroduction of a wild predator in a coservation area in Portugal, local ecological knowledge and appropriation of nature. Representations of the species are explored, discourses and practices compared.

Paper long abstract:

The Iberian Lynx is one of the last predators which still coexist with humans in Europe. Its status as the most threatened felid in the world transformed it into an emblematic species that has become a symbol of nature conservation efforts. Reintroduction in Portugal is foreseen for the coming years and an ethnological study on one of the potential areas of occurrence is ongoing. The research will explore local perceptions on the return of the species and also the local knowledge on predators, roles and uses of these species in the context of economic practices and appropriation of Nature. Semi-structured interviews and observant participation have been done in the Nature 2000 site Moura Barrancos. Empirical categorization of fauna has been collected. Preliminary results will be discussed in an interdisciplinary context of application to conservation projects for the species.

Analysis of personal interviews from 1995 about lynx records gathered data about 28 kills and 20 direct sightings.The species was rare and known by the local denomination of liberne. Dead animals were used as trophies and also cooked for special meals (n=15). This unknown practice of consuming lynx might be as old as 5000 BC, as a Portuguese archaeological finding revealed fire and cut marks on a lynx humerus.

Insights into the cultural dimensions of lynx and relationships between humans and wildlife can support conservation and management decisions. The study aims to contribute to a participatory process and improve the communication between administration and people who share territories with predators.