Wildlife on the Primitivo in Galicia

[Chica36]

I am due to start my Camino in Lugo next week and wonder if I will be lucky enough to see any wildlife whilst walking. Has anyone seen anything of interest ?

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

I'm afraid you missed the "wildest part of the wilderness" when you took off from Lugo.

On the Primitivo we have very often seen free living groups of horses in the mountains. A beautiful scenery when the mares slowly lead their foals away, especially on the Hospitales route. A hospitalero told us, that there would be a lot of wild boars in the area and in many bars there are pictures of successful hunts.

The Cantabrian Mountains are one of the few areas in Western Europe where there are still wolves and bears, but you don't necessarily want to meet them - for me it's enough to know that they are there

But even the cows look much wilder than at home. Not so boringly black and white and without horns, but really impressive in all their naturalness. They also need weapons to defend themselves when a wolf visit the pasture. The pulse gets a bit faster when you have to pass through such a group

But we have already seen all this before Lugo. From there it's still a very beautiful landscape, but I wouldn't call it wilderness.

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Bear attacks other bear. Local newpapers. When I was in the Camino Vadiniense last week.

 

[U20C_Katherine]

I'm afraid you missed the "wildest part of the wilderness" when you took off from Lugo.

On the Primitivo we have very often seen free living groups of horses in the mountains. A beautiful scenery when the mares slowly lead their foals away, especially on the Hospitales route. A hospitalero told us, that there would be a lot of wild boars in the area and in many bars there are pictures of successful hunts.

The Cantabrian Mountains are one of the few areas in Western Europe where there are still wolves and bears, but you don't necessarily want to meet them - for me it's enough to know that they are there

But even the cows look much wilder than at home. Not so boringly black and white and without horns, but really impressive in all their naturalness. They also need weapons to defend themselves when a wolf visit the pasture. The pulse gets a bit faster when you have to pass through such a group

But we have already seen all this before Lugo. From there it's still a very beautiful landscape, but I wouldn't call it wilderness.

As I started feeling more at ease about doing Primitivo on my own, I read this post… what are the chances of walking into a bear or a wolf on this route?

 

[peregrina2000]

As I started feeling more at ease about doing Primitivo on my own, I read this post… what are the chances of walking into a bear or a wolf on this route?

ZERO

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

As I started feeling more at ease about doing Primitivo on my own, I read this post… what are the chances of walking into a bear or a wolf on this route?

I was hoping but saw none. On the Hospitales I saw horses, cows (they have horns but ignore you…if you see calves leave them alone). I saw a bull, we ignored each other. There’s a sign near the start warning of bears. We all talk about bears. No one ever sees one. I think if there were marauding bands of bears the ranchers wouldn’t leave their cows unattended.

On the rest of the Primitivo I saw cows, goats etc usually on the other side of fences, or the occasional one on the road. Saw some horses running down a road once. I walked when bears should have been out and about yet saw none. There’s a bear crossing highway sign a few miles from my home in California. I’ve never seen one there, either.

You can do this, Buen Camino

 

[dick bird]

You might see one of these. But a bear? A wolf? Consider yourself extraordinarily lucky and privileged if you see either. They are rare and shy animals.

 

[Former member 99942]

I'm afraid you missed the "wildest part of the wilderness" when you took off from Lugo.

On the Primitivo we have very often seen free living groups of horses in the mountains. A beautiful scenery when the mares slowly lead their foals away, especially on the Hospitales route. A hospitalero told us, that there would be a lot of wild boars in the area and in many bars there are pictures of successful hunts.

The Cantabrian Mountains are one of the few areas in Western Europe where there are still wolves and bears, but you don't necessarily want to meet them - for me it's enough to know that they are there

But even the cows look much wilder than at home. Not so boringly black and white and without horns, but really impressive in all their naturalness. They also need weapons to defend themselves when a wolf visit the pasture. The pulse gets a bit faster when you have to pass through such a group

But we have already seen all this before Lugo. From there it's still a very beautiful landscape, but I wouldn't call it wilderness.

Link about bears.

 

[Arctic_Alex]

As I started feeling more at ease about doing Primitivo on my own, I read this post… what are the chances of walking into a bear or a wolf on this route?

As someone living next door with large wildlife, including European brown bears, I can confirm that the chances of "walking into" one of the larger predators is very very low. This kind of bear will usually avoid humans at all costs. And they sense you from miles away whereas you would only see and hear them when they are really close ;-)