Archive for the ‘Catalonia’ Category
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
The wolf appears to have firmly returned to Catalonia after an absence of more than 70 years. In the last few years a dozen or so animals have been gradually arriving from France (see below) and settled in the Pyrenees, and have even reached as far south as the Vallés Oriental. The news was released in the latest issue of the Spanish wildlife journal Quercus which reports the presence of up to 13 different individuals, some identified only once and others that appear and disappear depending on the year. However, so far all animals have been males, except for a female detected in 2008. This is a common pattern, as young males tend to be the first to disperse, which explains in part why so far there is no evidence of breeding in Catalonia.The wolves have been detected in across an area of some 1,400 square kilometers in the Cadi mountains and other surrounding mountain ranges in Alt Urgell, Cerdanya, Alt Solsonès, and Berguedà. Unsurprisingly, the animal’s return has revived the traditional conflict with farmers and in the early years there was an average annual loss of about 80 head of livestock, although in some years more than 200 were lost. These attacks on livestock, for which farmers are compensated, have declined dramatically following various protective measures: just 3 sheep were lost in 2009 and 10 in 2010. ABC + Photo from here
How long before they reach Barcelona’s Collserola I wonder.
I wrote this last year
Tests have shown that this new influx of wolves in Catalonia is genetically Italian in origin, forming part of an expansion over a number generations out from the Apennines. The Apennine population began to expand in several directions from the early 1990’s. It moved north into the Italian and Swiss Alps; north-east into the French Alps and Lyon, and east towards the Pyrenees, reaching the Maritime Alps near Nice by 1996, Saboya by 1998. An individual was detected between Areja and French Cerdenya by August 1998 in the Madres Massif, just to the north of Canigó, and finally by 2004 into the Cadí range. The last Catalan wolf was shot in Horta de Sant Joan, in Tarragona in 1929, though the animal is thought to have disappeared from the Sierra de Cadí more than 100 years ago
Tags: Spanish wildlife journal Quercus, Wolves in the Cadi
Posted in Catalonia, Mammals, Wolves | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
Spanish researchers have assessed the impact of the burning of a scrubland area of broom on the birds of the Catalan Pyrenees. By analyzing a period of 50 years following the fire, the scientists found that the birds that recover most slowly are those that live in the high mountain areas. For many of them, this recovery takes more than one or two decades following the fire.
Science Daily
Posted in Catalonia, Fire, Pyrenees | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
Interesting page on the recovery programme of the Mediterranean Storm-Petrel
Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis in Catalonia.
There are few known coastal breeding sites for the in Spain and France, apart from their core breeding areas in the Balearics and central Mediterranean. After carrying out some years of a ringing program in the Costa Brava area, Catalonia, some potential breeding areas for the Mediterranean Storm-Petrel (very irregular and endangered breeding species in the area, regularly recorded in Spring and Summer offshore) were identified. From Birds in Spain Blog (lots of photos
Tags: Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis, Mediterranean Storm-petrel in Spain, Seabirds in Catalonia
Posted in birds, Catalonia | No Comments »
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
To the amazement of scientists, a grey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) has been spotted off the coast of Barcelona, after being tracked from Palestine/Israel. North Atlantic-Mediterranean populations were understood to have become extinct in the 18th century, and there have no sightings since. The most likely expllanation is that the animal is a Pacific grey whale that has become lost. If it does form part of a new Atlantic population that would indeed be news. El País and BBC
Tags: Eschrichtius robustus, grey whale in Spain, Whale sightings off Barcelona
Posted in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spanish sea mammals, Spanish sea tales, Spanish seas | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
The Alpine Marmot is successfully spreading into the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees, and there may now be as many as 10,000 individuals in the region. (more…)
Tags: Alpine marmots, golden eagle, Marmites in the Pyrenees, Marmots in Spain, Marmots in the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees guide, ptarmigan, Spanish marmot, valley of Otal
Posted in Catalonia, Mammals, Pyrenees | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
Simon Rice who writes an excellent blog here on iberianature has put together this comprehensive and original guide to the Eastern Catalan Pyrenees (and Pre-Pyrenees) which he calls “The Book”.
Scroll down for sub links in to wildlife, history, geography, food and culture.
The region of the Pallars Jussà and Sobirà, that is to say, the valley of the river Noguera Pallaresa, contains an extraordinary variety of environments within a relatively small area, with an abundance of associated wildlife. The fact that the region has until recently been isolated from the built-up areas around Barcelona and Catalonia’s coastal strip means that these environments remained in pristine condition while more accessible areas suffered the depredations of modern times, such as the use of pesticides, forest clearance, etc. Notwithstanding the fact that Catalonia’s star turn, the wonderful Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes I Estany de Sant Maurici, was founded during this period, in 1955, the region now hosts dozens of large protected areas.
Visit Simon’s guide to the Catalan Pyrenees
Tags: Pallars Jussà and Sobirà, Pre-Pyrenees guide
Posted in Catalonia, Pyrenees | No Comments »
Monday, March 8th, 2010
The first female wolf in 80 years has been detected in Catalonia in the Sierra de Cadí. The first wolf in the Cadi was detected in 2004. More from Crónica Verde.
Tests have shown that this new influx of wolves in Catalonia is genetically Italian in origin, forming part of an expansion over a number generations out from the Apennines. The Apennine population began to expand in several directions from the early 1990′s. It moved north into the Italian and Swiss Alps; north-east into the French Alps and Lyon, and east towards the Pyrenees, reaching the Maritime Alps near Nice by 1996, Saboya by 1998. An individual was detected between Areja and French Cerdenya by August 1998 in the Madres Massif, just to the north of Canigó, and finally by 2004 into the Cadí range. The last Catalan wolf was shot in Horta de Sant Joan, in Tarragona in 1929, though the animal is thought to have disappeared from the Sierra de Cadí more than 100 years ago. More on wolves in Spain
There is a curious historical coincidence with Catalan wolves and Pablo Picasso. Horta de Sant Joan (where the last wolf was shot) was were Picasso is often considered to have developed cubism for the first time and he famously declared, “All I know is thanks to Horta de Sant Joan“. The great artist also spent some time in Gósol, the centre of the Cadí (where the new wolves have arrived), from the spring of 1906 to mid-August of that same year, where his works have been called his Gósol period. There are small Picasso museums in both villages which quite reasonably take advantage of his illustrious stays to promote themselves.
Tags: Cadí mammals, Horta de Sant Joan, Wildlife of the Sierra de Cadí, wolves and Picasso
Posted in Catalonia, Wolves | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Researchers from the University of Barcelona have analysed all the articles published in the La Vanguardia newspaper between 1982 and 2007 linked to natural hazards, climate change and sustainable development. Over 25 years the press devoted more headlines to forest fires and droughts, even though floods are much more frequent and cause more damage. The article’s main author Carme Llasat comments:
If the press focus more on forest fires and droughts, then people also become more aware of these events, to such an extent that they are deemed a more significant hazard in the area and more frequent occurrences than they really are”
This is a fascinating study on how the media fuels the public perception of environmental hazards.
More here Tags: Carme Llasat, Floods in Catalonia, Natural disasters in Catalonia, natural hazards in Spain
Posted in Catalonia, Climate, climate change, desertification | No Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
They have found a use for Catalan donkeys aside from the Catalanist appropiation of their image for political ends. In the Gavarres Hills they have started using this be-lovable breed to graze and so clear forests as a way of reducing the risk of fire. Some 550 Catalan donkeys remain.
La Vanguardia Tags: donkeys in Catalonia
Posted in Catalonia, Fire, Livestock breeds In Spain | No Comments »
