A once in a lifetime sighting, and possibly the first white Iberian Lynx to ever exist.
Amateur photographer Ángel Hidalgo was in the right place at the right time in southern Spain’s Jaén mountain ranges when he captured photos and videos of this incredibly rare, all-white lynx. Back on October 22, Hidalgo utilized some prior information he had collected to put himself in the right portion of the mountains in hopes of crossing paths with this creature that looks like something out of a fairytale.
In a social media post dedicated to the white Iberian Lynx he caught on camera, Hidalgo described his process as the following:
“In a new place I started tracking a few months ago, I was checking one of my trail cameras and I noticed something I couldn’t believe. From there, I began to devote all the time I had to see this wonder with my own eyes. (There was much time that passed) – hours, days, weeks and even months – without success. On many occasions, I was about to throw in the towel.”
What Hidalgo had seen on his trail camera was a rare animal for two reasons. First, the Iberian Lynx was on the verge of extinction around 2010, so to get pictures of just a regular one out in the wild in the Iberian Peninsula would be an accomplishment in its own right. But this wasn’t just any lynx that the photographer saw… it was a leucistic, all white Iberian Lynx.
If you are ever out in nature and you see an albino animal (complete loss of pigmentation) of any kind – consider yourself lucky. The odds of witnessing one of nature’s beautiful mistakes are slim to none. It’s one of those situations where if you see an albino animal, you probably ought to go and buy a lottery ticket right after (though you kind of already won the lottery seeing the rare creature in person).
Then you’ve got leucistic mammals, which are also quite rare. Leucism refers to the partial loss of pigmentation that usually results in white fur but regular eyes and paws, and this phenomenon is considered to be slightly more common. However, this is believed to be the world’s first ever leucistic lynx… or at least the first ever that was caught on camera.
Obviously, an all-white lynx is going to stick out like a sore thumb in the grassy habitats that they usually call home, which makes them more prone to being attacked. If one did exist beforehand, it may not have survived long enough for anyone to see it.
This particular wild cat’s features helped Ángel Hidalgo spot the animal he was looking for from a far distance away. He told the story of how he came face-to-face with the animal in his social media post:
“A bad morning after it rained overnight, I was walking as I had so many times, when suddenly in the distance, I see a white bump that seemed to radiate its own light. Upon observing for the first time a ‘White Iberian Lynx’ with its snow-white winter fur and those penetrating eyes, I was stunned. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I felt very fortunate to witness this moment, to be able to see this great bobcat in its natural habitat. Meeting this feline was an unforgettable memory for me, and it made me think about the importance of nature and conservation. May this long story serve to inspire some to appreciate and protect the natural beauty of the world around us.”
Conservation is undoubtedly important, especially if it helps pave the way for beautiful, rare animals like this one to exist. Ángel Hidalgo even gave a name to the magnificent creature he was able to capture photos and videos of:
“The white ghost of the mediterranean forest.”
Truly stunning.
The world is truly mesmerized by this sighting. And it’s helping give much needed attention to the Iberian lynx, which is still considered “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature despite conservation efforts. Maybe the work by this one photographer can continue to help aid the conversation efforts for the species.
Here’s a video of the all-white Iberian Lynx that Hidalgo also captured:
