A LOOK AT THE WILD

Located in the center of Spain, on the edge of Extremadura and Andalusia, La Mancha & Sierra Morena is one of the most outstandings natural territories in Europe.

Sierra de Andujar Natural Park

Covering almost all the province of Ciudad Real (region of Castile-La Mancha) and the northern sides of the provinces of Jaen and Cordoba (Andalusia region), this fabulous hinterland host some of the best natural areas in the Iberian Peninsula, including 2 National Parks, 5 Natural Parks and numberless list of other protected natural areas that make it one of the Spain’s largest protected natural areas:

National Parks:

-Tablas de Daimiel (Ciudad Real province) 1.928 Ha.

-Cabaneros (Ciudad Real province) 40.856 Ha.

Natural Parks:

-Valle de Alcudia & Sierra Madrona (Ciudad Real province) 149.543 Ha.

-Sierra de Andujar (Jaén province) 74.774 Ha.

-Sierras de Cardena & Montoro (Córdoba province) 38.449 Ha.

-Despenaperros (Jaen province) 7.649 Ha.

-Lagunas de Ruidera (Ciudad Real province) 3.772 Ha.

Other protected areas of international importance in the Ciudad Real province:

-Special Protection Area La Mancha Wetlands (Biosphere Reserve)

-Special Area of Conservation Volcanic Lagoons of Campo de Calatrava (Ciudad Real province)

-Campo de Calatrava and the SPA of Calatrava Steppes (Ciudad Real province)

-Special Protection Area Campo de Montiel (Ciudad Real province)

-Special Protection Area Ríos de la Cuenca Media del Guadiana

-Special Protection Area Sierra de los Canalizos

Total amount of SPAs in the Ciudad Real province: 1.579.764 Ha.
Total amount of SACs in the Ciudad Real province: 1.563.971 Ha.

 

This vast area of protected natural spaces, with over 316,000 hectares just between National Parks and Natural Parks,  hosts over 310 species of birds, over 45 mammals species and more than 1,200 plant species, regarding the best representation of Mediterranean Forest in Europe and the most remarkable Wetlands inland Spain.

 

The natural region where we operate is composed of 2 united geographical territories but very different between them:

La Mancha:

This Natural Region is part of Castile-La Mancha (Central Spain). Known worldwide as the birthplace of the fictional knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, this area is dominated by vast plains with crops of Olives, Vines and Grains. Its most typical picture, the windmills of La Mancha, cannot hide the enormous diversity of natural areas that surround it. Thus, La Mancha is known for hosting the most important inland wet areas in Spain, the best-preserved steppe zones of the South Peninsula, the spectacular mountain scenery of the Cabaneros National Park, the remarkable wetlands of Tablas de Daimiel National Park and the unique volcanic area of Campo de Calatrava, a place that, with the Vesuvius (Naples, Italy) is the only active volcanic area of Continental Europe.

 

Sierra Morena:

Extensive mountain range that separates La Mancha region of Andalusia. With mountains that barely exceed 1,300 m.a.s.l., Sierra Morena contains emblematic sceneries as the Sierra de Andujar, home to the only viable population of Iberian Lynx in the world. Nowhere in Europe can be found, in the same space, endangered animals like the Lynx, the Wolf, the Spanish Imperial Eagle, the Bonelli’s Eagle, the Black Stork and the Black Vulture.

With almost all strictly protected territory, Sierra Morena contains 4 Natural Parks that, in their totality, represent the largest continued & protected natural area of the whole Spain:

- Valle de Alcudia & Sierra Madrona (Ciudad Real province)
- Sierra de Andujar (Jaen province)
- Sierras de Cardena & Montoro (Cordoba province)
- Despenaperros (Jaen province)

 

Unique and little explored, a real experience that can be discovered reminiscing about the famous adventure of two English travellers of the early Twentieth Century in the ancient and wild land of Spain, Abel Chapman and Walter Buck “Unexplored Spain”.

This is a short list of the most emblematic species of European Nature that can be found in La Mancha & Sierra Morena:

-Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus
-Iberian Wolf Canis lupus signatus
-Iberian Ibex Capra pyrenaica
-Squacco Heron Ardeola Ralloides
-Black Stork Ciconia nigra
-Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris
-White-Headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala
-Black Vulture Aegypius monachus
-Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti
-Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus
-Black-Shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
-Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni
-Red-Knobed Coot Fulica cristata
-Great Bustard Otis tarda
-Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax
-Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchatta
-White-Rumped Swift Apus caffer
-Azur-Winged Magpie Cyanopica cooki

An extraordinary number of species that binds, to its uniqueness, the abundance and proximity that can be seen in our territory.

TOP 50 Birds List of La Mancha & Sierra Morena

 

TOP 20 Mammals List of La Mancha & Sierra Morena

 

If you want to know more about our Birding Tours, please Click here for our Birding Tours in La Mancha & Sierra Morena 

We offer also Natural History Tours in our region. For more info Click in the next link.

Interested in the Iberian Lynx? See our Special Iberian Lynx Tour.

Are you thinking in paying a one day visit in La Mancha & Sierra Morena? Click this link for our Bespoke Day Tours.

Vicente Malagon. 2011. All rights reserved.

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a look at the wild - birding like nowhere in europe - where to watch birds and other wildlife -              a brief history

tablas de daimiel national park - cabaneros national park - valle de alcudia natural park - sierra de andujar natural park - sierras de cardena natural park - la mancha wetlands biosphere reserve - volcanic lagoons of calatrava - campo de calatrava - campo de montiel

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