A Spanish photographer produced a social media sensation when he snapped a photo of a rare Iberian lynx with bright white fur.
Wildlife photographer Ángel Hidalgo spent months trying to capture a photo of this "white ghost of the Mediterranean forest" after he spotted it in the province of Jaén, he told El País.
His patience finally paid off when he captured an image of the majestic cat gazing back at the camera. "I couldn't believe it," he told the publication. "I was paralyzed."
Photographer records world's first ever leucistic Iberian lynx https://t.co/bjCBJkieg2
— Euronews Green (@euronewsgreen) October 30, 2025
News outlets originally reported that the four-year-old female named Satureja had leucism, a rare genetic anomaly that causes animals to have mostly white fur without the red eyes associated with albinism. However, scientists who work on conserving the vulnerable cat species have since clarified that this cannot be confirmed for certain and that the specimen was likely born with brown and black fur that lightened in response to environmental stressors.
Whatever the cause of her unique coloration, Satureja has taken the internet by storm. Hidalgo's Instagram post has racked up more than 10,000 likes, and a YouTube video shared by local outlet Hora Jaén has more than 30,000 views.
Hidalgo made the spectacular shot using a camera trap, a type of camera that uses infrared sensors to take photos when it detects movement. These cameras allow scientists to keep tabs on rare species, from Bornean clouded leopards to critically endangered gorillas. In the hands of amateur wildlife enthusiasts, they can also demonstrate the success of rehabilitation efforts.
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The Iberian lynx has made an astonishing comeback in the last few decades, with its population rising from less than 100 around the turn of the century to more than 2,000 in 2023, as Euronews reported. That Hidalgo was able to spot any Iberian lynx is a testament to how far conservation efforts have come.
Plus, as Euronews noted, the health of the Iberian lynx population is good news for the broader ecosystem, as the big cats help regulate the food chain by keeping rabbit populations in check.
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