The cubs were born on 27 February and are the first of the 2021 breeding season, the result of the mating of nine-year-old female Jerumenha with male Juncabalejo, who is also nine years old and arrived at the National Iberian Lynx Reproduction Centre (CNRLI) last November, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), the centre's manager, explained.

"Juromenha, daughter of Biznaga and Drago, is the first female born at the CNRLI to give birth within the Iberian Lynx Ex-Situ Conservation Programme and one of the first two Iberian Lynx successfully bred artificially by the CNRLI technical team," the same source specified in a statement.

The ICNF pointed out that this was already the third litter of Jerumenha, "which has had a total of five cubs so far this year as a result of two previous pregnancies".

"With these three new cubs, Juromenha increases its contribution to the conservation of the Iberian lynx to eight cubs. The birth of went normally and Juromenha provides the appropriate care to her new cubs," congratulated the Portuguese breeding centre, which works for the reproduction and subsequent release of the species into the wild.

The ICNF also stressed that, after arriving at the centre, around five months ago, the male progenitor of these cubs "has adapted perfectly to the CRNLI and to his new neighbours and caretakers".

Juncabalejo is "son of Boj and Damán and was born in the El Acebuche Breeding Centre for the Iberian Lynx", facilities of the Iberian conservation programme for this feline, located in the Doñana National Park, in the Spanish autonomous region of Andalusia, ICNF also referred.