Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) personality: A rating assessment with ex Situ Conservation Program sample.

Abstract

Research on felid personality has been conducted in a few species. Further research on new species could be highly informative in regard to the influence that adaptation to different ecological challenges has on felid personality. We evaluated the personality of 58 Iberian lynxes (Lynx pardinus) hosted at 3 different breeding centers for reintroduction. A total of 43 adjectives obtained from previous studies with felids were assessed by 30 raters according to the knowledge on the lynx behavior they acquired by observing a live video feed of the animals, finding acceptable standards of interrater reliability. Principal components analysis and regularized exploratory factor analysis revealed 4 factors. Based on the pattern of factor loadings and on previous labeling in felid personality research, we labeled the factors as Boldness, Dominance, Neuroticism, and Attentiveness. The results were similar to that of the previous studies on felids, although some differences were found, which could be due to the evolutionary distance among species and to methodological differences among studies. Future research on endangered felids could provide insights into the influence of personality on conservation outcomes related to successful breeding and reintroduction.