A very varied flora
The richness of the flora in Spain is inseparable from the diversity of natural environments that compose it and the multiple climatic influences that it receives. Because in Spain, the mountains are never far from the sea, and their cohabitation is at the origin of a multitude of environments favorable to biodiversity. Under Mediterranean, oceanic or mountain influences, the 10,000 plant species that develop there offer a kaleidoscope of plants and trees among the richest of the European continent. Generally speaking, there are two main types of vegetation in Spain: wetlands and drylands. The humid Spain, in the northwest of the country, is dominated by forests of beech and holm oak of medium altitude. They are accompanied by undergrowth where ferns, gorse and heather thrive. Among the emblematic sites of this "green" Spain is the Irati forest, which straddles northern Navarra and France, with the largest beech forest in Europe covering 70,000 hectares! In the Mediterranean areas, scrubland, maquis and pine or cork oak forests predominate. In the southwest of the peninsula, the "dehesa" landscapes populated by holm oaks extend over thousands of hectares. This typically Mediterranean forest ecosystem is very representative of Extremadura. In the south, the vegetation is adapted to the arid climate of Andalusia and Murcia, with landscapes of steppe and short bushes. Some exotic species can be found here, such as the dwarf palm and the prickly pear. Finally, a curiosity: the largest palm grove in Europe is located on the Levantine coast, in the small town of Elche. Its palm grove, with 240,000 specimens, is classified by Unesco.
An exceptional marine biodiversity
Spain has, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, an exceptional capital in marine biodiversity. Covering a marine area of more than one million square kilometers, it has a great variety of marine habitats due to the geological history of the peninsula. This concept of habitat is essential for the marine fauna because it determines the development of species according to the characteristics of the sea floor. Thus, canyons, underwater caves, coral reefs or even seaweed forests have allowed more than 11,000 marine species to develop in Spain
The coastal areas of the Mediterranean offer a rocky environment and sheltered from the wind, conducive to the development of many species of algae. Among them, the Posidonia(Posidonia oceanica) - an endemic species - is one of the main marine resources of the Mediterranean. It is even called "the lung of the Mediterranean", so important is this source of oxygen for its ecosystem. The Posidonia meadows are a privileged environment for many species in the archipelago of the Medes Islands, on the Costa Brava. Integrated into the Montgrí Natural Park, this marine reserve of more than 500 hectares is a true sanctuary for Mediterranean flora and fauna. Groupers, barracudas, sea breams and even cetaceans such as bottlenose dolphins inhabit its calm waters and are a delight for divers.
Spain currently protects 84,400 km² of seabed divided into "specially protected areas of interest for the Mediterranean" (ZEPIM), biosphere reserves, national maritime parks and maritime reserves. On the Atlantic coast, the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia is a natural paradise formed by the famous Cíes Islands. In its crystal clear waters, it is possible to see cetaceans such as the fin whale, the second largest animal on the planet after the blue whale! Still on the Atlantic coast, El Cachucho is an area classified as a marine reserve. Located about 30 kilometers off the coast of Ribadesella, this underwater mountain range is home to a wide variety of species, including several giant sponges
The Spanish birdlife, one of the most varied in Europe
Thanks to its diverse geography, climate, and privileged location on the route of the great migrations between Europe and Africa, Spain hosts an exceptional variety of bird species. Its rich infrastructure of national parks and natural parks offers countless places to observe the life of birds, both native and migratory, in their natural habitat. In addition, the Special Protection Areas (SPA) integrated into the Natura 2000 network meet the objective of protecting threatened species. Among these protected areas, the Natural Park of Monfragüe, in Extremadura, is a real sanctuary for birdwatching. Here you can see the Great Bustard, whose males can weigh up to 19 kg and are the heaviest birds capable of flying! It is also the territory of the black vulture, the largest diurnal bird of prey in Europe, the griffon vulture, or the black stork. To the south, on the right bank of the Guadalquivir, the Doñana National Park is remarkable for the diversity of its biotopes. Lagoons, marshes and scrubland are home to nearly 230 bird species, 5 of which are still threatened with extinction. It is one of the largest heronries in the Mediterranean region and the wintering site of more than 500,000 water birds. Near Málaga, the Fuente de Piedra lagoon is home to the largest colony of flamingos in the Iberian Peninsula during the nesting season, some 13,000 birds, many of which spend the winter in Morocco. In Catalonia, the Ebro delta is an ornithological paradise of lagoons, dunes and marshes, where no less than 315 species of common birds can be found. Flamingos, herons and Audouin's gulls abound in this protected area of 32,000 km²
In almost all of Spain, you can see white storks! In the past, this large wading bird from Western Europe used to travel thousands of kilometers to spend the winter south of the Sahara. Nowadays, the storks of the Iberian Peninsula have practically settled down due to global warming and the presence of open-air dumps where they can easily feed. The small town of Alfaro, in the Ebro Valley, is home to the largest urban colony of white storks in the world
Iberian wolf, brown bear : on the tracks of the fauna of Spain
As with its birdlife, it is the diversity of its natural areas that allows Spain to host such a variety of wildlife. Each habitat of this fauna shelters representative species of a natural environment. The Mediterranean vegetation along the coast, with its scrubland and maquis landscapes, is home to hares, wild rabbits and foxes. In the hinterland, all the emblematic species of the Iberian Peninsula are found in the shelter of beech and cork oak forests: the wolf around the Sierra de la Culebra, the Iberian lynx in Andalusia, the deer in the mountains of Alto Campoo (Cantabria) or the National Park of Monfragüe (Extremadura). In mountain areas, the reappearance of the brown bear around the Cantabrian mountain range is the subject of careful attention, after being in critical danger of extinction for several decades. In the 1990s, there were only about 50 bears left in Asturias; today there are more than 350, living in the beautiful landscapes of rivers and dense forests of Somiedo Natural Park. The cohabitation between the bear and man is peaceful, much more so than in France, where it is the subject of many tensions. Unlike the Pyrenees, it has not been necessary to reintroduce the species. Instead, more than 1,500 electric fences were distributed to protect the apiaries and orchards in the area, while corridors were created by replanting trees. Today, the Bear Trail, which follows the route of an old railway line for some 20 kilometers, attracts visitors throughout the year, curious to see the emblematic oso pardo
The cohabitation with the Iberian wolf is much less harmonious than that of the bear, especially since the prohibition in September 2021 of the hunting of wolves in the whole Spanish territory. The Sierra de la Culebra, an area of some 70,000 hectares located in Castilla y León, has become the main sanctuary for wolves in Europe. But for the shepherds of this region, the presence of the wolf implies an inordinate cost for the protection of their flocks. Also, whether it is a question of lynx, wolf or bear, Spain is constantly confronted with the dilemma of how to make this wild fauna cohabit with the inevitable development of human activities. The major asset of this country remains, obviously, its capital of natural reserves to guarantee the safeguard of threatened species.
The Iberian lynx, a species saved from extinction
In the feline family, the lynx is recognizable by the long hair on its cheeks called "sideburns" and its triangular ears topped by a tuft of black hair. Emblematic figure of the wild fauna, the Spanish lynx was nevertheless considered in 2002 as the most threatened cat in the world. Chased by cattle breeders, and especially starved by the scarcity of wild rabbits - its only source of food - it almost disappeared for good. At the beginning of the year 2000, there were only 94 lynxes left in the whole Iberian Peninsula, living in increasingly limited territories around the Guadalquivir estuary, the Doñana Natural Park and the Sierra de Andujar, in northern Andalusia. The mobilization of public authorities and the help of European institutions have made it possible to save this species through a policy of reproduction, relocation and protection. Thus, within the framework of the Iberlince program, lynx bred in captivity are reintroduced into their natural environment as adults. According to the last census carried out in 2020, the Iberian lynx population would have passed the symbolic mark of one thousand individuals. Today, the Iberian lynx can be seen in the Sierra de Andújar and in the Doñana Natural Park, where numerous wildwatching companies and various ecotourism projects have been created in recent years. The CBD-Hábitat foundation, in charge of its protection, is currently working to reintroduce the lynx in Catalonia and Aragon
