The Odiel Marshes in Huelva, Andalucia. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of Andalusia’s most ecologically valuable areas, is undergoing a significant environmental restoration. A new conservation and prevention project, backed by the Andalusian Ministry of Sustainability and Environment, has been launched to tackle pollution and habitat degradation. The initiative, with a budget of over €728,000, is part of the EU-funded NextGenerationEU Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.
Why Spain’s Iberian Lynx Rewilding Success Is Now Under Threat
Introduction: The Iberian Lynx Recovery at Risk
The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) was once the world’s most endangered wild cat, reduced to fewer than 100 individuals in the early 2000s. Thanks to over two decades of conservation work, including habitat restoration and captive breeding, the population has grown to more than 2,000 across Spain and Portugal.
Listen to the podcast about “Why Spain’s Iberian Lynx Rewilding Success Is Now Under Threat”
However, this remarkable recovery is now under threat. Farmers and hunting groups are pressuring regional governments to block further lynx reintroductions, risking decades of progress.
Why Are Farmers and Hunters Opposing the Iberian Lynx?
Dangers of Pine Processionary Caterpillars
When in Spain many people may wonder about scorpions, spiders and venomous snakes and will not be aware that they are much more likely to endanger themselves and their pets by getting too close to an innocent looking line of caterpillars that can be found crossing a pavement, road or footpath during the first months of the year. So, what are the dangers of Pine Processionary Caterpillars?
Listen to the podcast about the Pine Processionary Caterpillar
Lets learn a bit about their lifecycle.
The Picos de Europa National Park
- Region: Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y León
- Province: Asturias, Cantabria, León
- Declared a Natural Park: 1918 enlarged in 1995
- Declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 2003
- Z.E.P.A
- Park surface area: 64.660 hectares
Points of interest
The Montaña de Covadonga National Park ( now The Picos de Europa National Park) was established in Asturias in 1918, the first national park in Spain. The now much larger park covers three major massifs – Western, Central and Eastern which are all part of the Cordillera Cantabria range. The dramatic Cares river canyon, which is 1,500m deep, divides the western and central parts.