Ultra-rare white Iberian Lynx caught on camera for the first time since near-extinction

In a discovery straight out of legend, a young wildlife photographer in southern Spain has captured jaw-dropping footage of a pure white Iberian lynx — the first ever recorded sighting of its kind.

The beautiful big cat was filmed on October 22 in the mountains of Andalusia’s Jaén province by 29-year-old photographer Ángel Hidalgo.

The sighting has stunned conservationists and thrilled nature lovers worldwide.

Hidalgo, who works at a construction materials factory, spends his free time tracking wildlife through Spain’s remote hills.

A month ago, he set up a camera trap in the countryside — and when reviewing the footage, he spotted something extraordinary: a glowing, white shape.

“I thought it was a camera effect,” Hidalgo told National Geographic España. “And from then on, I dedicated myself to the search for the lynx. I’m still in shock.”

After weeks of fruitless searching, Hidalgo finally saw the creature in person.

“One ugly morning, after a night of rain, I was walking like so many other times, when suddenly I saw in the distance a white shape that seemed to radiate its own light,” he wrote on Instagram. 

His video shows the white lynx sitting calmly among the rocks.

Experts believe the lynx suffers from leucism, a rare genetic mutation that causes a partial or total loss of pigmentation — unlike albinism, which affects the eyes and skin. Despite its dazzling beauty, conservationists warn that the lynx’s bright coat may make it more visible to predators and poachers.

To protect the animal, the exact location of the sighting is being kept secret, as illegal hunting remains one of the top threats to the Iberian lynx.

Once the world’s most endangered feline, the Iberian lynx was on the verge of extinction just two decades ago. In 2002, fewer than 100 individuals were believed to remain.

Thanks to extensive conservation programs — funded by the Spanish government, the EU, and groups like WWF — the population has surged.

As of 2025, over 2,400 lynxes are roaming the Iberian Peninsula, including 470 breeding females, PetaPixel reported.

The species was reclassified from endangered to vulnerable last year, marking one of Europe’s greatest wildlife recoveries.

Still, the lynx faces new threats: declining rabbit populations, habitat loss, and now, the dangers of standing out too much in the wild.

Despite these challenges, the sighting of the white lynx has been celebrated as a testament to conservation.

“Meeting this feline made me think about the importance of protecting nature,” Hidalgo said. “I hope this story inspires others to appreciate the beauty around us.”