Alcornocales - Fauna

Alcornocales Natural Park - Fauna

The park has a rich variety of birds of prey, with 18 species recorded here including booted eagles, short-toed eagles, Bonelli's eagles, peregrines, kestrels, common buzzards, eagle owls, sparrowhawks and goshawks. On the rockier peaks are colonies of Egyptian vultures.

Along the water courses are kingfishers, sand martins and dippers. In the cork forests are hoopoes, crested tits, golden orioles and Bonelli's warblers. As it is located close to the Strait of Gibraltar, the cork forests are often full of migrant birds of prey in spring and autumn.

The region is inhabited by many mammals, among them Egyptian mongoose, foxes, badgers, genets, and dormice. In the rivers are otters and terrapins.

The region is also rich in game like wild boar, while fallow deer and roe deer have been successfully introduced and are thriving. Hunting is a popular activity and around Cortes de la Frontera is a national hunting reserve. The biggest farm estate in Europe is Finca La Almoraima, covering 16,000ha near Castellar de la Frontera and one of Spain's most exclusive hunting reserves. Also introduced into the park are Spanish ibex.

The park is home to an impressive variety of bats: 20 species of bat inhabit the caves of the park, of a total 22 species recorded in the whole of Andalucia.