Iberianature

The second deepest natural harbour in the world
February 8, 2010
A curiosity I heard today: Mahón, the capital of Menorca, has the second deepest natural harbour in the world - after Pearl Harbour. The harbour is 5 km long and up to 900m wide. Historically, it was one of the most strategically important harbours in the western Mediterranean. More from Wikipedia

Long legged buzzard in Spain
February 1, 2010
A pair of long-legged buzzards (Buteo rufinus) have established themselves in the Tarifa area in Andalucia. Although the species is occasionally spotted as vagrant, this is the first time since  records began that a pair has settled in Spain. Long-legged buzzards are an African species, present across the Straits  in Morocco. It is thought that warming temperarures have brought them further north. El Mundo

Wolves in the Picos de Europa
February 1, 2010
Lisa has written this well researched article on her excellent Picos de Europa page on the population and status of  wolves in the Picos de Europa, the only national park in Spain where they are present:

…an estimate of 5 packs within the park and its immediate surrounding areas. Of these family groups they estimate that each consists of between 5-9 family members, giving a minimum 25 and maximum of 45 individuals, not including the few probable loners. These figures are far below those claimed by local farmers.

Interview with Roberto Hartasánchez
January 28, 2010
Interview with Roberto Hartasánchez, the president of FAPAS on Spanish National radio. An interesting ten minute overview of bears, the serious impact of the disappearance of bees, and the state of conservation of the Cantabrian Mountains in general. Listen here.

Young Montpellier snake
December 20, 2009
Check out Lucy’s great new post on a Montpellier snake she spotted on Montjuic, Barcelona.

Earthquake in Andalucia and Extremadura
December 17, 2009
An earthquake of 6.3 on the Rictar scale with its epicentre 100km off Cabo de San Vicente, Portugal hit Andalucia and Extremadura. Although, there are no reports of injuries, its intensity is a reminder of the small potential of a large quake striking southern Iberia. See also earthquakes in Spain

Mediterranean flood mystery solved
December 10, 2009
A new study published in Nature has revealed details of the catastrophic flood that refilled the Mediterranean Sea more than five million years ago. The flood occurred when Atlantic waters cut through into the Mediterranean basin which had dried up when Africa crashed into Iberia, drying out the trapped Mediterranean. The researchers say that a 200km channel across the Gibraltar strait was carved out by the floodwaters. It may have may involved peak rates of sea level rise in the Mediterranean of over 10 metres a day and may have taken just two years to fill up. Imagine the immense power of the waterfall at Gibraltar. BBC See also: The biggest waterfall in geological history (with video)

EU may change dead livestock law
December 10, 2009
The Guardian reports here on a study by scientists that vultures should be allowed to return to their old jobs as nature’s waste managers. They say the birds are suffering as they increasingly depend on being fed by people. The law was changed in 2002 because of mad cow disease and outlawed the leaving of carcasses of dead cows, as well as sheep, goats and other livestock, in the open. The upcoming decision by the EU on whether to change the law affecting dead livestock will have important repercusions for Spanish wildlife. The Spanish government has called on the European Union to alter the rules on the animal corpses and allow farmers to leave them where they fall.