The ICNF explained that “Kayakweru, introduced into the wild in February was found dead on Thursday, 12 March by a field team working in forested area in the Mértola region.”

The Institute said on its website that the causes of death remain unknown, but a necropsy has been ordered to determine how the endangered animal died.

Kayakweru was born in captivity in the Algarve town of Silves and was released on 7 February along with Kempo, a Spanish male lynx from Doñana in Spain in the Guadiana Nature Park.