Wildlife on the VLDP/Sanabres?

Donna Sch

Veteran Member

Time of past OR future Camino

VdLP-Sanabres-Fisterra '15; Levante-Invierno '19

• Apr 13, 2015

• #1

http://www.iberianature.com/
I've stumbled across a few interesting sites about Spanish wildlife especially along the Camino Sanabres. It's all fascinating stuff.

http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/portada.html for a bird/animal atlas. I'm always trying to look up the details on birds I haven't seen before so this could be handy.

So which animals can you reasonably expect to see? I don't expect to see bears or wolves although I am aware they are in the area. But there are plenty of other weird and wonderful critters. I just have no idea how likely it is to come across them.

 

amancio

Veteran Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Frances, Norte, Primit, Salvador, Portug, Arag, Ingles, VdlP, Leban-Vadin, Fisterra, Invierno, LePuy

• Apr 13, 2015

• #2

in the Dehesas, you will easily see lots of birdlife. Black kites are very common and will go very near you. Herons. Egrets. Lots of little birds. Kestrels. IF you are lucky maybe even great bustards. Snakes. Lizzards. Hares. Rabbits. Otters if you are really really lucky. Eagles. Vultures. Foxes

you will not see wolves, you might be able to hear them some night, but they will avoid you.

Buen camino!

 

peregrina2000

Moderator

Staff member

Donating Member

• Apr 13, 2015

• #3

Donna Sch said:

http://www.iberianature.com/
I've stumbled across a few interesting sites about Spanish wildlife especially along the Camino Sanabres. It's all fascinating stuff.

http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/portada.html for a bird/animal atlas. I'm always trying to look up the details on birds I haven't seen before so this could be handy.

So which animals can you reasonably expect to see? I don't expect to see bears or wolves although I am aware they are in the area. But there are plenty of other weird and wonderful critters. I just have no idea how likely it is to come across them.

Click to expand...

Hi, Donna,
When I walked the Levante, we continued onto the Sanabrés. After A Gudiña and before Campobecerros, there is a fairly remote stretch, at least when the AVE construction trucks aren´t lumbering around. I was walking with two French pilgrims, and had to duck behind the bushes for a minute. When I came out, they motioned wildly, but I was too late. They had had an encounter with a wolf and they said it was just as they would have imagined. Locking eyes for a long few seconds and then an arrogant/haughty saunter away (by the wolf, not them) really made their day.

And this is not directly responsive, but I´d also recommend a short jaunt up, about a km from the bar on the highway in Lubián, to an old "wolf catcher" with its very interesting panel describing how this centuries-old brick enclosure was used to trap wolves.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

amancio

Veteran Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Frances, Norte, Primit, Salvador, Portug, Arag, Ingles, VdlP, Leban-Vadin, Fisterra, Invierno, LePuy

• Apr 13, 2015

• #4

storks, hundreds of storks too!

 

grayland

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Yes

• Apr 13, 2015

• #5

I did not see any critters on the Sanabres.
I have seen a couple of deer from time to time on the Camino Frances....but really nothing else along any of the routes. Actually, very few birds in any numbers.
Of course, I really don't notice a whole lot while walking....that is why I am always off the track somewhere wondering what just happened to the markings.

(except Storks..of course)

 

AlanB

Active Member

• Apr 14, 2015

• #6

An otter on the road to Aldanueva. Could have been a beaver. A snake on the road half an hour later.Quite a few deer.

 

Pelegrin

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

2019

• Apr 14, 2015

• #7

The highest wolf concentration in Spain is in Sierra de la Culebra near Sanabria, That is 5-7/100 Km2 that is pretty high. Then, seeing a wolf in Sanabria is possible (but difficult). Other big wild animals that you can see are wild boars.
Just in case, you better walk with poles.

 

T

tomwaitsfanclub

New Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Frances, SJPP to Burgos, Astorga to Santiago de Comp (2013)
Frances, SJPP to Astorga (2014)
Via de la Plata Sevilla to Caceres (2015)

• Apr 15, 2015

• #8

Donna Sch said:

http://www.iberianature.com/
I've stumbled across a few interesting sites about Spanish wildlife especially along the Camino Sanabres. It's all fascinating stuff.

http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/portada.html for a bird/animal atlas. I'm always trying to look up the details on birds I haven't seen before so this could be handy.

So which animals can you reasonably expect to see? I don't expect to see bears or wolves although I am aware they are in the area. But there are plenty of other weird and wonderful critters. I just have no idea how likely it is to come across them.

Click to expand...

Hi Donna, Southern Spain/Extramadura is one of THE destinations for European birdwatchers, and one of the reasons I'm doing the Via de la Plata this late April. There are many larger birds such as Black, Griffon and Egyption Vultures; Spanish Imperial, Golden, Bonellis, Short-Toed and Booted Eagles, Red and Black Kites and various Harriers, Herons and Storks. There are also numerous smaller birds found in that part of the Iberian Peninsular such as Azure-Winged Magpies, Black Shouldered Kites and Lesser Kestrels which are exclusive to or very rare outside Southern Spain/Portugal.
The number and diversity of the smaller birds can be a little bewildering, especially if you don't know the calls/songs, but is amazing all the same. Have fun, you'll see lots of birds even if they're mostly unidentified, shame you're not starting late April!
If you're really nerdy the Collins Bird Guide by Lars Svensson et al has all the birds you'll come across but i dont think is available as a legitimate ebook

 

T

tomwaitsfanclub

New Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Frances, SJPP to Burgos, Astorga to Santiago de Comp (2013)
Frances, SJPP to Astorga (2014)
Via de la Plata Sevilla to Caceres (2015)

• May 11, 2015

• #9

Hi again, just back from the Sevilla to Caceres stretch of the caminoe, lots of good birds; too many to mention; found this link which has good info on many of the birds you'll find in the different landscapes/habitats encountered along the way:

http://www.rutadelaplata.com/en/8131-birdwatching-on-the-route

 

ricitosdeplata

Active Member

Time of past OR future Camino

09/2015: Via de la Plata

• Jun 5, 2015

• #10

Almaden looks interesting to me. I've read that there is a place to see bats and birds are abundant. If you're there the right time (no moon) there's a famous planetarium.