Why is there a sign warning of rare Iberian lynx wild cats near Malaga province town?
With a clear message for motorists, it was installed at the junction of the A-357 and A-384 a few months ago
A large sign with red letters on a yellow background near Campillos in the north of Malaga province reads: "Attention lynx - 19 km." For a few months now it has been confusing drivers, many of whom believe that it must be a mistake.
The sign is installed on the right-hand side of the A-384 road, which links the town with Antequera, at its junction with the A-357. The possibility of coming across a rare Iberian lynx in the province of Malaga nowadays is very low. The wild cat used to inhabit the Serranía de Ronda, but that was years ago.
So why is the sign there? We have to go back to July 2024, when an Iberian lynx named Tilo was found dead next to the A-384 road. Tilo had come from the Murcia region, where he had been reintroduced, together with 17 other specimens, in May 2023. Unfortunately, at least seven of the animals were found dead within just over a year since their release.
Before his death, Tilo had travelled hundreds of kilometres from Murcia, until he reached Campillos, where there is an abundant population of rabbits - the Iberian lynx's favourite prey. Moreover, there are several small game reserves in the area around the place where Tilo was found.
That said, the sign is precautionary, warning of the possible appearance of lynxes in the 19-kilometre stretch between Campillos and the junction of the A-384 and the A-92 dual carriageway.
Campillos town hall said that the road is the responsibility of the regional Junta de Andalucía government, which is why the municipal team didn't know about the sign, although it believes its installation is justified. Drivers are asked to drive with caution at all times of the day.
Malaga province has not been associated with the Iberian lynx since 2020, when a German tourist apparently spotted and recorded a video of a specimen during a hike in the Serranía de Ronda. However, the location was never verified. Although, historically, there have been precedents in this mountainous area of Malaga, the lynx is a solitary, nomad animal that avoids humans.
