Monfragüe National Park
Monfragüe is located approximately in the center of the province of Cáceres, in the triangle formed by the well-known cities of Plasencia, T rujillo and Cáceres. Its backbone is the Tagus River as it passes through gentle mountains surrounded by extensive pastures.
Monfragüe, with 18,396 hectares, was the first protected area in Extremadura. It was declared a Natural Park on April 4, 1979, after several years of struggle to prevent the eucalyptus plantations from overtaking and eliminating the native scrubland and forest, habitat of a large number of endangered fauna.
Since its declaration as a protected area until today, Monfragüe has been consolidated as a true sanctuary for birdwatching. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the area to enjoy the flight of black storks, Egyptian vultures, vultures or the very rare imperial eagle. From its Public Use Area, a privileged area like few others, you can enjoy not only endangered wildlife but also incomparable landscapes and vegetation.
The possibility of declaring Monfragüe National Park was raised since the early 90’s, reaching this category in March 2007 (Law 1/2007 of March 2; BOE nO 54 of March 3) after a process clearly marked by the consensus of the various parties involved.
The ordinary management of the Park corresponds to the Government of Extremadura, which will organize it in a way that is consistent with the objectives of the National Parks Network.
In addition to the category of National Park, there are several other forms of protection that coexist in this territory. In 1991 it was declared a Special Protection Area for Birds, a figure that was later extended in May 2004 to the current ZEPA “Monfragüe and Dehesas del entomo”, which covers 116,160 hectares coinciding with the Peripheral Protection Zone of the National Park.
This same extension enjoys since July 2003 the qualification as a Biosphere Reserve, specific recognition of the good relationship that has existed for centuries in these lands between man and the environment.
In Monfragüe we find the most extensive and best preserved patch of Mediterranean scrubland in the world.
This natural area can be considered as a valley crossed by the rivers Tajo and Tiétar.
The mountain ranges that delimit this valley, host an important variety of biotopes: holm oak groves, Mediterranean forest and scrubland, rocky areas, reservoirs and streams, allowing the existence of a rich and varied plant and animal life.
Among the fauna, represented by more than 280 species of vertebrates, are some of the most significant species of Spanish nature.
The crags in Monfragüe are formed by large quartzite cliffs -of great scenic value- the result of orogenic folding and subsequent erosion to which the quartzite resisted against the softer slate.
The rocks are largely covered by striking lichens, and practically free of woody vegetation with the exception of some junipers (Juniperus oxycedrus) or cambroños (Adenocarpus hispanicus subp. argyrophyllus).
The birds find in them an ideal place to nest, since they enjoy the security offered by the impregnable vertical walls, isolated even more by the waters of the rivers. In them nest species as unique as the black stork (Ciconia nigra) -25 pairs-, eagle owl (Bubo bubo), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Egyptian vulture (Neophron pernocterus) -30 pairs-, or the large colonies of griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) with more than 500 pairs.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
The aquatic ecosystems in Monfragüe can be classified into: riverbanks, ponds and reservoirs.
The banks constitute the natural aquatic ecosystem, made up of gallery forest along the streams that remain undammed.
The tree layer consists mainly of alder (Alnus glutinosa), willow (Salix sps.) and ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) which protect the banks from erosion.
In intermittent streams, where tree vegetation has disappeared, thorny shrubs called tamujas (Fluggea tinctorea) appear.
Both the ponds and the reservoirs are ecosystems that have arisen through human transformation: the ponds are places in the dehesa where man accumulates runoff water to water the livestock; the reservoirs are the two great rivers, the Tagus and the Tiétar, which have their waters dammed as they pass through Monfragüe, having flooded the original riverside ecosystem.
In the aquatic environment, the most interesting species are the otter (Lutra lutra), the only aquatic mammal in Monfragüe, and the black stork (Ciconia nigra), which feeds in the shallow waters. Birds also include the kingfisher (Alcedo athis), grey herons (Ardea cinerea) or purple herons (Ardea purpurea) and in winter numerous ducks.
Among the great variety of amphibians, the southern frog (Hyla meridionalis) and the newts (Triturus boscai) stand out. The leper pond turtle (Mauremys leprosa) is abundant and the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) can be found – albeit very scarce – although only in riverside ecosystems.
The particular south-east-north-west layout of the main Monfragüe mountain range forms two slopes with clearly differentiated characteristics: the sunny slopes and the shady slopes.
On the shady slopes, where humidity is higher and temperatures are milder, we have the best representation of the primeval forest. They are covered by a thick vegetation whose tree layer is made up of cork oaks (Quercus suber) accompanied by some specimens of gall oak (Quercus faginea), Montpellier maple (Acer monspessolanum) or cornicabra (Pistacia terebinthus). Alongside them is an intricate undergrowth of great height formed by bushes, many of them with laurel-like characteristics, reminiscent of the subtropical climate of ancient times: Arbutus unedo (Arbutus unedo), butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus), myrtle (Mirtus commnunis), white heather (Erica arborea). ..
The sunny areas are covered by vegetation that is particularly adapted to drought and high summer temperatures. Therefore, aromatic evergreen species predominate, with thick, leathery leaves, ashy and whitish in colour, elongated, narrow and sometimes curved in shape, all with the function of reducing evapotranspiration as much as possible.
As a tree stratum, the holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia) stands out, accompanied by wild olive trees (Olea europaea sylvestris) in the more thermic areas. Alongside it, among many other species, we find the wild pear tree (Pyrus bourgaeana), olivilla (Phyllirea angustifolia), broom (Retama sphaerocarpa) or broom (Cytisus sp.) and in the most degraded areas, lavender (Lavandula stoechas), rockroses (Cistus sp.) or gorse (Genista hirsuta).
The treetops, among the impenetrable vegetation, are a safe and ideal place for birds such as the imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) -12 pairs-, the black vulture (Aegypius monachus) -280 pairs-, the booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) -24 pairs- or the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus) -15 pairs- to set up their nests.
They are also the ideal place for breeding and capturing goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) or sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus). Among the mammals that live in the thickets are the lynx (Lynx pardinus), the genet (Genetta genetta), the wild cat (Felis silvestris) and the mongoose (Herpetes ichneumon).
Source: Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y Reto Demográfico del Gobierno de España. www.miteco.gob.es