--- title: "Farmers&Predators - the Spanish \"dehesa\", among lynx, wolves and birds of prey" description: "\"Angelo Gandolfi and Elisabeth are almost at the end of their journey, this time in the Extremadura. But where are the wolves and lynx?\"" image: https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/4-6.jpg --- [![almonature-logo-4](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/almonature-logo-4.svg) ](https://www.almonature.com/en/?hsLang=en-gb) ![EN](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/country_flags/gb.svg) [![almonature-logo-4](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/almonature-logo-4.svg) ](https://www.almonature.com/en/?hsLang=en-gb) - Products - [Companion for Life](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life?hsLang=en-gb) - Call for Projects - About us - [Where to buy](https://www.almonature.com/it/trova-un-negozio?hsLang=en-gb) Products - Cat Food - Dog Food - Cat Litter Cat Food - [All Cat Food](https://www.almonature.com/it/prodotti-per-gatti?hsLang=en-gb) - [Functional](https://www.almonature.com/it/alimenti-funzionali?hsLang=en-gb) - [Kibble](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-crocchette?hsLang=en-gb) - [Wet food](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-umido?hsLang=en-gb) - [Snack](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-snack?hsLang=en-gb) [![bio-diversity-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/bio-diversity-menu-icon.png) Impact on biodiversity ](https://www.almonature.com/it/impatto-sulla-biodiversit%C3%A0?hsLang=en-gb) [![nutritional-advice-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/nutritional-advice-menu-icon.png) Cat nutrition advice ](https://www.almonature.com/it/consiglio-nutrizionale-gatto?hsLang=en-gb) Dog Food - [All Dog Food](https://www.almonature.com/it/prodotti-per-cani?hsLang=en-gb) - [Kibble](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-crocchette?hsLang=en-gb) - [Wet food](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-umido?hsLang=en-gb) - [Snack](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-snack?hsLang=en-gb) [![bio-diversity-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/bio-diversity-menu-icon.png) Impact on biodiversity ](https://www.almonature.com/it/impatto-sulla-biodiversit%C3%A0?hsLang=en-gb) [![nutritional-advice-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/nutritional-advice-menu-icon.png) Dog nutrition advice ](https://www.almonature.com/it/consiglio-nutrizionale-cane?hsLang=en-gb) Cat Litter - [All Litter](https://www.almonature.com/it/lettiere?hsLang=en-gb) - [Soft Texture](https://www.almonature.com/it/catlitter-soft-texture?hsLang=en-gb) - [Grain Texture](https://www.almonature.com/it/catlitter-grain-texture?hsLang=en-gb) Call for Projects - [Home Page](https://www.almonature.com/it/re-community?hsLang=en-gb) - [Participating projects](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/projects?hsLang=en-gb) - [International commission](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/re-community-giuria?hsLang=en-gb) - [FAQs](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/faqs-domande-frequenti?hsLang=en-gb) - [Download the call for projects](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/re-community-projects/UK-Companion-for-Life-Call-for-Project-Annex-1-and-2.pdf?hsLang=en-gb) About us - [Brand Profile](https://www.almonature.com/it/manifesto?hsLang=en-gb) - [Our history](https://www.almonature.com/it/la-storia?hsLang=en-gb) - [The company](https://www.almonature.com/it/rendicontazione?hsLang=en-gb) - [Reintegration Economy](https://www.almonature.com/it/reintegration-economy?hsLang=en-gb) ![Farmers&Predators - the Spanish "dehesa", among lynx, wolves and birds of prey](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/4-6.jpg) ### **Respected naturalists and wildlife photographers Angelo Gandolfi and Elisabeth van Lersel, embarked on a journey through southern France, Spain and Portugal discovering large predators, such as wolves, and look at their impact on the environment and the human communities sharing the same ecosystems. Here's what they write in part four of their diary extract. ** ![almo nature farmers predators dehesa lupo](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/1-1024x683-2.jpg) The dehesa – above the original Mediterranean scrub ## A small “industrialised" region The **Iberian Wolf**, which we talked about in  [part 3 of our travel diary extract](https://www.almonature.com/en_GB/blog/farmers-predators-spain-to-the-river-of-wolves-and-beyond-the-duero/?hsLang=en-gb), has arrived in Estremadura along the ridge of the  *Sierra de Gredos mountain range *west of Madrid but  **appears to have stopped there**. To progress further, it will certainly have to face the particular land management and farming regime in the region. ![almo nature farmers predators dehesa lupo](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/6-300x225-2.jpg) Blooms in a field at Extremadura This land management method is called  ***dehesa***, which means that the indigenous  Mediterranean trees and scrub have been thinned and the undergrowth cleared. The remaining trees, mostly holly oaks and cork oaks, are pruned to encourage foliage spread (the resulting shade an extra bonus for the animals and grasses below).This practice results in an environment  similar to the African savannah, with fenced prairies where free-range cattle and sheep graze freely. Here, the pigs eat acorns and their meat is used to produce the renowned  *jamón ibérico*, priced at  **150 euros per kilogram!**Sometimes an area of  *dehesa* is used as a  hunting reserve, usually for deer, fallow deer, wild boar etc. At other times, it is partially cultivated to produce  honey and aromatic hydrotherapic herbs.For the nature lover, it is a magnificent sight: Estremadura is covered with woodland. This environment favours **sustainable farming** that is far removed from an industrial scale. | ![](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/difference-dog-wolf-3-2.jpg) | | --- | ##  The Salto del Gitano – the home of great birds of prey ![almo nature farmers predators dehesa lupo](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/2-1024x768-2.jpg) The Salto del Gitano - a refuge for birds of prey In this environment birds of every kind fly freely. While in winter you can spot tens of thousands of cranes, in summer the area is primarily occupied by storks and birds of prey of which Spain can boast the world's largest colonies of griffon vultures, cinereous vultures, Spanish imperial eagles, Bonelli's eagles and more.In Italy (especially in Sardinia), many farmers will see birds of prey, including vultures, as potential "lamb predators". However, this kind of mentality seems to have be largely overcome in Spain. | ![](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/difference-dog-wolf-3-2.jpg) | | --- | ## Tough times in the dehesa for the wolf and other animals… However despite the positive climate in Spain, the dehesa isn't wolf-friendly; there is wide use of fences, traditional low stone walls, wire mesh and barbed wire, so pets, cattle or sheep can't get out, but the wolf could get in, and in that environment, it wouldn't have any means of defence.There are also many natural protected areas, but they aren't very extensive. For instance, the Monfragüe national park, where deer graze, covers only 18.000 hectares. ![almo nature farmers predators dehesa lupo](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/9-1024x768-2.jpg) La cascata della Cimbarra, presso Despenaperros , in un territorio di espansione delle linci Until a few years ago, Estremadura had a small population of the Iberian Lynx *(Lynx pardinus)*, a subspecies, smaller than the European lynx, weighing between 8 and 14 kilos so not big enough to hunt domestic or wild ungulates (hooved mammals). Indeed,  **its prey of choice is rabbit**, with occasional alternatives such as partridge and small mammals.For this reason, the Lynx was generally tolerated better than the wolf but thanks to **poaching**,  **car accidents** and  **myxomatosis in rabbits (**which thinned out prey availability) the last lynx in the region has disappeared. | ![](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/difference-dog-wolf-3-2.jpg) | | --- | Thus, to find this particular species we must move south, to Andalucia, where we can find the surviving indigenous colonies in two national parks,  [Coto Doñana](https://www.donanareservas.com/en/) and Andujar. Also here, on the Sierra Morena, there is  **a small, thriving pack of wolves**. ![almo nature farmers predators dehesa lupo](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/11-1024x768-2.jpg) Looking at the size of guard dogs here, there still must be some wolves left in the Sierra Morena. The type of farming in the region is similar to that in Estremadura but has slightly more hunting reserves. What's really different though are the wide-open spaces bordered by the Sierra Morena, a series of rolling hills covered in forests undulating north of Cordoba and running along an east-west axis for 450 kilometres. ![almo nature farmers predators dehesa lupo](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/14-1024x768-2.jpg) Deer in a hunting reserve, where the Lynx is a tolerated guest In Andujar I am told that in addition to the large natural reserves like  [**Coto Lugar Nuevo/Contadero,**](http://trip-suggest.com/spain/andalusia/lugar-nuevo/) the fenced hunting reserves may well have kept the Lynx from extinction. But when I object that  **the fences didn't look natural**  **at all **and are an obstacle to the animals' freedom of movement, they just say that they are no big deal for the Lynx.I reservedly accept these people's argument because to me the fences, often bent inwards and circled with barb wires, are not exactly easy to pass through. ![almo nature farmers predators dehesa lupo](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/10-1024x768-2.jpg) La dehesa di Andujar ### In the next episode we will learn more about the wolf and the lynx's situation in Andalucia. *This travel journal is part of a wider project by Almo Nature, **Farmers&Predators**, whose aim is to favour and harmonise the cohabitation between farmers and wildlife.* *Learn more by [clicking here](https://www.almonature.com/en_GB/farmers-and-predators/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=farmers_and_predators&utm_content=traveljournal&hsLang=en-gb)*To read from the first episode of this series,  [click here](https://www.almonature.com/en_GB/blog/farmers-and-predators-from-the-alps-to-sierra-nevada-the-mercantour/?hsLang=en-gb) #### Related Articles [![Predators and biodiversity: The European renaissance](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/1140-EremoDeiToschi_PastoriMaremmani-5.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/predators-and-biodiversity-the-european-renaissance?hsLang=en-gb) [Biodiversity](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/biodiversity) July 17,2018 ###### [Predators and biodiversity: The European renaissance](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/predators-and-biodiversity-the-european-renaissance?hsLang=en-gb) The wolf, the lynx and the bear: these predators are repopulating the European territories and helping to restore the natural balance of biodiversity. 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