The roe deer holds a special place in the Guadarrama National Park, not only for its beauty but also because it serves as a valuable indicator of human activities within the area. It is a living testament to the history of Guadarrama itself. There have been traces of this species dating back to the Middle and Upper Pleistocene in Pinilla del Valle, showcasing its presence in this region even during crucial Pleistocene refuges in the Sierra, which played a pivotal role in the species’ recovery after glacial periods.

• Read more about the Roe deer here: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/roe-deer-capreolus-capreolus-corzo/
• Read More about the Guadarrama national park here: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/guadarrama-national-park/
• Read more about the Iberian wolf here: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/iberian-wolf-canis-lupus-signatus-lobo-iberico/

Roe deer historically in the Sierra de Guadarrama

During the 17th century, roe deer populations across Europe suffered a significant decline due to deforestation, livestock farming, and intensive hunting. In the early 19th century, Graells was still hunting them throughout the Sierra de Guadarrama. (Mariano de la Paz Graells, a Spanish naturalist and biologist who lived during the 19th century. He was known for his contributions to the field of natural history and was involved in the study of various aspects of Spain’s flora and fauna during his time.)