Wildlife side
Andalusia stands out for its abundance and diversity: from wolves and deer to numerous wild boars and foxes, this community is home to over 400 of Spain's 630 vertebrates. Not all of them will be visible on your first walk, and you'll need to visit the forests and sierras to see the greatest number. You'll be able to observe deer, ibex, Iberian lynx and nocturnal species such as genet, wild boar and badger. The Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas abounds in deer and wild boar, and is also home to large populations of mouflon and fallow deer. And let's not forget the mountain goat, cabra montés, one of the park's emblems, once numbering 11,000, reduced by an epidemic of mange, but now stabilized at 500. And whatever the season, it's not uncommon to come across a large number of foxes. North of Seville, in the Sierra Norte Park, you'll come across deer and wild boar. In virtually every forest, you'll come across rabbits and hares, the staple diet of Mediterranean forest carnivores.
A watchtower for bird watching
Among the characteristic species, some are highly threatened and even endangered, such as the wolf and the Iberian lynx, whose presence is today limited to three specific areas: the Doñana National Park, mainly located in the province of Huelva, the Sierra Morena and the Despeñaperros gorge, in the province of Jaén. Finally, in the dry areas of the region, it's not uncommon to encounter lizards or even snakes, due to the proximity of the African continent. Andalusia is also the ideal region for birdwatching, from resident species of raptor (13 in all) to rare migratory species such as the black vulture, golden eagle and imperial eagle. The endangered imperial eagle can now be seen in the Parc de Doñana, which is also home to over 300 bird species and is also the stronghold of pink flamingos, which can also be admired in the San Miguel salt flats at the entrance to the Cabo de Gata Park in the province of Almeria. And thanks to its strategic location between the Mediterranean basin, the Atlantic Ocean and the Strait of Gibraltar, Andalusia is home to thousands of migratory birds from Europe to Africa. Wetlands such as the Marismas de Isla Cristina Nature Park in the province of Huelva, another bird paradise, are also home to fine examples of horned coots, cormorants and griffon vultures. Not forgetting ibises, storks, cranes, coots and horned ducks... Heading south, you can also spot cetaceans, whales and dolphins off Tarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar. Last but not least, Gibraltar is home to Europe's only colony of wild monkeys, magots and Barbary macaques.
Discovering the pinsapo, the blue pine of Andalusia
Palm, lemon and orange trees grow in many cities. The latter spread a sweet scent of orange blossom that will often accompany your stay. Just like the flowers adorning the white walls or patios in a floral art of which Cordoba has become the supreme reference. When visiting a city, don't hesitate to push open the door of a patio to admire these marvels or to visit the magnificent gardens which, as in Seville or Granada, give you a glimpse of the luxuriant plants and exotic trees that came from faraway lands during the centuries of Spanish discoveries: jacarandas, white acacias, magnolias, eucalyptus, banana trees... Another emblematic tree: the olive tree, which will be present no matter which province you visit, although in this area it's the province of Jaén, Andalusia's largest olive oil producer, that lines up an ocean of over 66 million olive trees in endless rows and green and silver colors. Generally speaking, Andalusia's typical vegetation is Mediterranean forest, with perennial-leaved trees adapted to wide summer droughts. These include holm oaks, pines and pinsapos, Andalusian fir trees with bluish needles. The Sierra de las Nieves National Park is home to the largest number of these ancestral pines, with over 3,000 hectares of refuge for this endangered species. There's even the Pinsapo de la Escalera, the ancestor of these woods, over 500 years old and boasting a trunk 26 metres high and 5.10 metres in diameter. For its part, the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park has also made this relict pine from the Tertiary period the emblem of its park, providing an opportunity to see fine examples. Also very common, the cork oak has its own natural park in the south of the province of Cadiz, and will be very present in the north of the province of Huelva, on the Sierra d'Aracena and the Picos de Aroche. Accompanied by chestnut, holm oak, white poplar, olive, walnut and even cherry trees, the area's 180,000 hectares are covered in all shades of green. While these are the mainstays of its vegetation, they are complemented by many others, as Andalusia's flora is also astonishingly rich, with over 5,000 plant species, including almost 150 endemics. As you stroll along, you'll be able to contemplate the cereal and cotton fields of the fertile Guadalquivir plain, discover the botanical paradise of the Sierra de Baza (Scots pines, willows, poplars with white, black and red leaves), in the province of Granada, and enjoy the visual and culinary delights of its tropical coast: kiwis, sugar cane, avocados, persimmons, papayas, chirimoyas or mangoes...
Emblematic animals
The Andalusian horse. Originating in Andalusia, this purebred Spanish horse is one of the oldest horse breeds in the world. It is recognized by its compact body, powerful neck, elegance and wavy mane. And its aptitude for "piaffe" and "passage" have made it a favorite for classical dressage work, nowadays carried out by the Royal School of Equestrian Art in Jerez de la Frontera. A visit to the school will allow you to admire the magnificent work carried out there. Equally present in the bullring, he has also appeared in the movies Gladiator andLord of the Rings. Only a certain number of breeders are authorized to breed this rigorous and selective animal, but you can visit several in the provinces of Cordoba, Seville and Cadiz.
Fighting bull. Also known as toro bravo or toro de lidia, this bull is also Spain's purest breed, and must be registered in the genealogical registry that lists each of the 40 or so founding breeds. They are selected for their qualities of bravery and fighting ability in the bullring. In Andalusia, you can visit a number of ganaderías, where you can see the bull in its natural environment, the dehesa (pasture), and learn about the breeding and selection process. And the province of Cadiz, one of the most bullfighting provinces, has set up a bull route that crosses it, from Jerez de la Frontera, north of Cadiz, to San Roque, in the south and just a few kilometers before Gibraltar.
The Iberian lynx. If you're lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this lynx, with its long-haired neck and triangular ears ending in a tuft of black hair, you'd better make the most of it, as it's one of the most endangered species. This is due to a number of factors: epidemics that have hit rabbits, its main food source; pollution from intensive farming; road traffic; and traps set to eliminate other carnivores. As a result, there were 100,000 free-living lynxes in Andalusia and Portugal at the beginning of the 20th century, but by 2005, only 160 remained. In response to this slaughter, various preservation and rehabilitation programs have been set up, notably in Andalusia's Doñana National Park. In 2013, their population was estimated at over 300 specimens in this community, a figure that has doubled in 2018. They may be found in Doñana National Park and in the Sierras de Andújar and Cazorla, province of Jaén.
Cabra montés. It's hard not to recognize the curved horns of the males of this species, also known as the Iberian ibex. Like the Iberian lynx, this species has been on the brink of extinction since the late 19th century. By 1970, only 20 specimens remained. Protection efforts only began in the 1950s, but with little effect. Fortunately, since then, various reintroduction policies have enabled us to count almost 50,000 of them. You'll almost certainly see one in the Sierra Nevada, but also in the Sierra de Jaén and the Sierra de las Nieves y Montes de Cádiz. And if you're lucky, you'll get to see a male and a female, and notice the differences in their size and horns, making for a truly spectacular sight.
