Archive for the ‘Almeria’ Category

Tabernas in flower

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

This lovely photo of Tabernas Desert in bloom was taken by Andrés Ivorra and posted originally on the forum. He notes:

“An exceptional amount of rainfall looks like snow but it isn’t. Linaria nigricans is in full flower in the desert of Tabernas. A joy for your eyes.”

I’m not sure how much it has rained in Tabernas itself but Andrés informs me that rainfall records have been smashed in Almeria capital this winter with some 400mm falling in just two months.

Check out Andrés’ site on Wildflowers of Almeria

Browsing through his site I can see it is not only about flora. It is also the best guide in English on the nature and geography of Almeria in general.

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Posted in Almeria, Andalucia, Flora |

246 loggerhead turtles hatch in Cabo de Gata

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

Newly hatched turtle being measured (CSIC)

246 eggs of loggerhead turtles (tortuga boba – Caretta caretta) have hatched in the last few days on a beach in Cabo de Gata, Almeria. The eggs were taken from Cabo Verde, where a third of the world’s population of Caretta caretta lives, and form part of a reintroduction programme of the Junta de Andalucía, CSIC and the Canarian goverment (Loggerhead turtles in Fuerteventura). They have been taken to a reintoriduction sent which will raise them for the first few months to reduce mortality rates. El Mundo

It will take at least 15 years to be able to begin to measure the success of the project when hopefully some of those turtles hatched will return to the same beach as adults. Small populations of loggerhead turtle in the Mediterranean exist in the Turkey and Greece.

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Posted in Almeria, Andalucia, Conservation, reptiles & amphibians, Spanish seas |

Loggerhead turtles hatch in Almeria

Sunday, October 21st, 2007

40 eggs of loggerhead turtles (tortuga boba – Caretta caretta) hatched last week on a beach in Cabo de Gata, Almeria. Another 40 are expected to hatch these days. The eggs came from Cabo Verde and form part of a reintroduction programme of the Junta de Andalucía and CSIC. The aim is for the same turtles to return to lay their eggs on the same beach, though the high mortality of the species means that very few if any of these young hatched in Almeria will reach adulthood.1000 eggs were taken from Cabo Verde, where a third of the world’s population lives. 800 were left in the Canary Islands and 200 were brought to Andalucia. 120 have been raised in incubators in Sevilla. Small populations of loggerhead turtle in the Mediterranean exist in the Turkey and Greece.

El Mundo

El Mundo

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Posted in Almeria, Andalucia, Mammals, Sea mammals of Spain, Spanish sea mammals, Spanish seas |

The largest tree in Andalucia

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

The largest tree in Andalucia has been listed by the Andalusian government in the Sierra de los Filabres, Almeria. This immense holm oak (encina) measuring 16 metres wide and 25 metres high is believed to be a remnant of an ancient Mediterranean forest. The tree is known as ‘La Peana’ (El Mundo)

Posted in Almeria, Andalucia, Flora |