Early this spring we were the guests of the Faia Brava Reserve and of Campanários de Azaba Biological Reserve, Rewilding Europe’s two local partners in Western Iberia, right on the border between Spain and Portugal. Campanários de Azaba Biological Reserve, the two partners of Rewilding Europe in Western Iberia. Five fantastic days in the wilds.
35 students and 15 lecturers from universities in Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands took part in the second edition of the ‘European Wilderness Entrepreneurship’ school from 20/3 to 4/4, a part of the Erasmus Intensive Programme. Indulging in a unique learning experience in Western Iberia.
Seven different hides are now available for wildlife watching and photography in the Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve, on the Spanish side of the Western Iberia rewilding area. Spring is the best season to visit this area and to enjoy its opulent nature, strong colours, magnificent landscapes and unique biodiversity.
A subadult Iberian imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) visited the Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve on March 14. This was the first time in many years this happened and a landmark wildlife comeback event for the Western Iberia rewilding area, in which Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre (FNYH) works as partner of Rewilding Europe.
23 Retuertas horses, coming from the Doñana biological station in southern Spain, were released in the Campanarios de Azaba biological reserve on October 7. The release was possible thanks to Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre in Spain, land owner of the reserve, with support from Rewilding Europe.
Last week Juan José Negro, director of the Doñana Biological Station visited the Western Iberia rewilding area. Together with researchers Juan Calderon and Fernando Ibáñez from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) they spent time at the Biological Reserve Campanarios de Azaba.
The Dutch TV company Endemol filmed Staffan Widstrand, Marketing Director of Rewilding Europe, guiding the Dutch TV presenter Martijn Krabbé on an action-filled visit to the Western Iberia rewilding area, for the TV programme “Kanjers Van Goud” (“Heroes of Gold”). This TV programme is connected to the Dutch Postcode Lottery, and will be broadcasted later this year.
A herd of 24 Retuerta horses, coming from the Doñana biological station in southern Spain, were released in the Campanarios de Azaba reserve on July 27. The release was possible thanks to the Rewilding Europe initiative and the collaboration between the Nature and Man Foundation and the Doñana Biological Station.
Since a few years, I was hearing stories from friends that it was fairly easy to see Iberian lynx in the wild. I thought this was quite remarkable for such a rare and elusive cat, however with a couple of friends we decided to try our luck in February this year, a time of year when the species is very active and territorial.
The Iberian Peninsula is one of the oldest inhabited territories in Europe. In Western Iberia man always lived in and with nature resulting in a spectacular landscape with dehesas, mountain ridges and valleys with steep cliffs. Right now, the situation is changing.