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For the last couple of days in the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara, on the Ruta de la Lana, I've occasionally come across huge canine footprints, about 4 times bigger than my Hungarian boarhound's. The lady in the information centre of the Parque Natural del Barranco del Río Dulce was sceptical at first, but when I showed her this pic said she thought it probably was made by a wolf.View attachment 47935
We did see wolves print paws (we thought) on the Sanabres and later, one of us did take pics of a wolf...Wolves on Camino, I hope not.
Keep safe.
Buen camino.
We did see wolves print paws (we thought) on the Sanabres and later, one of us did take pics of a wolf...
Oh my!
I always walk alone.
Something to consider if I walk VdlP.
It's definitely possible, the northwestern population of wolves in Spain is estimated at 2,000 in 350 groups. see map below for the distribution. Based on the picture of the paw prints I would guess the pic from the OP is a dog print due to the close spacing of the toe pads to each other and to the heel pad (and the lack of distinct lobes on the heel pad). I saw several LARGE dogs in Galicia (Mastiff and Mountain Dog types) that were taller and heavier than the size range given for the Iberian wolves in this area so I'm sure there are lots of large paw prints in the mud of Galicia that don't belong to wolves but it's interesting to speculate on the possibility that we were walking on the same paths the wolves occasionally used.View attachment 47942View attachment 47943View attachment 47943
That is nice to think, but wolves in Spain are systematically slaughtered by hunters and the government.Don't want to meet them but think this is kinda cool....nature prevails.
Look out for this fella on the San Salvador a couple of days out of Leon.
I thought he was tracking me and feeling brave, decided to get a closer look - then realised he was made of metal. Possibly, Ender and his mates decided to erect it after a night on the vino!
Also you don't want to be bitten by a half crazed Perigrino that's foaming at the mouth!I would not be concerned. If this was a wolf, there is plenty of live prey along the Camino routes. Wolves are timid by nature and will avoid human contact, UNLESS there is no other food source.
The other complicating factor would be illness, such as rabies in the wolf population. But, the odds are so infinitesimal as to be nil. Hence, I advise that we not get spun up over this.
Another reason why my 'accidental' three-part lifetime rabies vaccination in 2006 was a good thing...
Reminds me of a story from Canada:Sounds scary, I know. Between Hollywood and fairy tales, the big bad wolf has a fearsome reputation. Unless you are secretly a herd of goats though, you have nothing to be concerned about. I grew up in a remote wooded area where wolves were very common. I saw tracks all the time, but an actual wolf less than a dozen times in a decade, and always from a wary distance. They want nothing to do with the giant upright brightly colored primates. As my father explained, we are the scary monsters in the forest. Now, grizzly bears are a different story........
"Oh, their scat generally tends to have little brass bells in it."
Peg sounds nice, say Hi to her for meThat's why I backpack with Peg. She's slower than me.
I read the previous post to Peg and then mine. She laughed. That shows another reason why I backpack with Peg.
Yes maybe But the wolf is progressing south. Now we have 10 wolves in Madrid province.That is nice to think, but wolves in Spain are systematically slaughtered by hunters and the government.
https://wilderness-society.org/how-spain-brutally-reduces-its-wolf-population/
And can travel enormous distances - 70km in one night? Apparently 12,000 wolves across mainland Europe - but no attacks on humans!Yes maybe But the wolf is progressing south. Now we have 10 wolves in Madrid province.
In the case of Guadalajara province (OP), wolves are strictly protected (comunidad de Castilla la Mancha)
For the last couple of days in the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara, on the Ruta de la Lana, I've occasionally come across huge canine footprints, about 4 times bigger than my Hungarian boarhound's. The lady in the information centre of the Parque Natural del Barranco del Río Dulce was sceptical at first, but when I showed her this pic said she thought it probably was made by a wolf.
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