Endangered Vultures

Recently, this handsome young vulture was found on a nearby Urbanisation. It appeared to be exhausted and 'adopted' my friend Steve Carter for a few days; allowing him to come close up to it. As it didn't eat or try to fly away, Steve called the environmental people, (Medio Ambiente). They care for wild creatures, and release them when they are able to cope.

Vultures are endangered. Apparently the EEC had decreed that domestic livestock animals that died naturally in the country, must be removed and not allowed to get into the food chain. This had a detrimenal effect on vultures and other carrion bird populations. So a chain of vulture 'restaurants' were set up in the mountains across Andalucia. When there are carcases of horses or cows to be disposed of they are taken to these feeding stations. I have walked, the steep climb to the one on 'our' Los Reales mountain. I understand there is another near Tarifa, and one near Ronda.

Red Palm Tree Beetle

(Apologies for the long delay since I last put up a new Post! I had a computer glitch, repeatedly sending the same Email from Outlook Express. My computer was in 'shop' for nearly a week being fixed!)

In the last few years many of the Canary Palm trees of the coast have been destroyed by the dreaded Red Palm Tree Beetle. It attacks the growing part at the crown of the tree. Healthy palms can be killed in a couple of weeks! The effect can be seen in an old avenue of palms now leading to a new development.

Bahia Dorada palms have not escaped. The photo on the left shows one that is now a mere stump. Infected palm can be saved if treated in time with sprays. It is vital to do it, as infested trees soon infect healthy ones around it.

A Tree Surgeon recently gave a talk to our local Gardening Group. He told us that trimming palm trees is partly responsible for the spread of Palm Tree beetle infection. Pheramones are released when the palm is cut, which attract the Red Beetles. It might be less tidy to leave old fronds hanging down. But that's better than having trouble with the Red Palm Tree Beetle!

Missing Lynx

The Coto Donana, an hour south of Seville, is a conservation area of special importance, particularly as a breeding place for migratory birds. It is also a habitat of the Iberian Lynx; a beautiful species that grows to be about twice the size of a domestic cat. Characteristically they have tufts of hair on their ears and under the chin.

This is the most endangered of the 36 species of cats in the world. Their decline in the last 50 years has been catastrophic. It was estimated there were of 4000 in the wild in 1960. By 2000 the number was down to 400. Now, in 2009, it is believed there are only 200, with a population of about 50 in the Coto Donana region of Southern Spain, and 150 in the Andujar-Cardena area. Such small numbers may have brought this lynx close to extinction. There could be small groups in some other isolated areas. No sightings were reported but droppings have been found, and DNA analysis suggests they come from three or four individual lynx.

The main cause of the decline in lynx populations is because their primary food source, rabbits, have been decimated by myximatosis. An adult male lynx needs one rabbit a day; a female with young up to three a day. The red fox is in competition with the lynx for the scarce remaining rabbits. Saddly, development and construction erodes wild places. More roads and more traffic means the loss of more lynx. 16 were killed in the Coto Donana area between 2000-2003.

Some Iberian lynx are bred in captivity. Is this the best we can do?

Howling with the wolves!

I love visiting Lobo Park, near Antequera. Four sub-species of wolves live there in huge enclosures; European Wolves, Canadian Timber Wolves, Alaskan Timber Wolves and the native Iberian Wolves. These are another endangered species, so it is good to know that Lobo Park has a successful breeding programme. It is about 2 hours from my place. There are guided tours every day; Adults 8.50 Euros and Children 5.50.

However, I especially love going there on some Friday or Saturday nights for the Wolf Howling! It is essential to book ahead. A barbeque dinner is served at 8pm, before setting off with Daniel Weigand. He is encyclopedic in his knowledge of wolves - and dispells many myths about them! He will give you the chance to watch their feeding behaviour, and their interaction with him. Visits last until nearly midnight! Magical!

Instead of driving all the way home afterwards, I stay at the nearby Torcal campground. On one occasion my cousin and I had breakfast there with a crowd of Harley Davidson bikers!

Endangered Species

The Andalucian Donkey is an endangered species; with only about 120 purebred animals in existence. Friends of mine, Stephen and Marlene Bird have a project, http://www.ancraa.org/ where they run a successful breeding programme. These donkeys are known as Giant Donkeys because they are about half as high again as the usual donkey. They were used extensively in agriculture before mechanisation, but farmers have little use for them nowadays. The temperament of these donkeys has earned them the name 'Gentle Giants'. Every Sunday morning Marlene and Stephen welcome visitors to 'Cuddle a Donkey', and to learn about the herd of 20 or so individuals they care for. As with any endangered species it is important to keep the animals in several places to ensure they could not be wiped out by a single epidemic. Donations are welcome to help with their heroic task of saving these animals from extinction.