Climate

Why are these lynxes washing their food?

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 19/10/2026, 14:24:25 UTC.

Briefings

Long-term camera trap monitoring in Spain revealed Iberian lynxes repeatedly dunking dead rabbits in water before consumption. This behavior, observed over five years, remains unexplained by researchers, potentially aiding hydration or prey softening during hot summers. The discovery highlights a previously undocumented aspect of the species' survival strategies.

Key points

• Iberian lynxes in Spain repeatedly dunk dead rabbits in water before eating them, a behavior never documented before.
• Researchers recorded this behavior over five years using camera traps in a wild cat population.

Context

This finding comes from long-term monitoring of the Iberian lynx, a species recovering from extinction that continues to surprise researchers with previously unseen behaviors.

Limitations

The evidence is limited to five years of camera trap data in Spain. Scientists are uncertain about the specific biological purpose of the behavior, and the study does not include comparative data from other regions or species.

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