The

1. Mystery nº 8 from Spain.
Geography and
Environment

2. I am a natural park

3. I am the home of 51 species of mammals, 185
birds, 21 reptiles (including an endemic lizard), 12
amphibians, 11 fish and 112 butterfly species.

4. I was designated a Unesco
biosphere reserve.

5. I am the home of some of the
oldest pines still standing in
Spain, nearly 100 laricio pines
that are over 1,300 years old.

6. There are 24 native flora here. Two endemic species of
daffodil live in my mountains. One of them is the smallest
narcissus in the Iberian peninsula, found in early May in
snow melt areas.

7. You don't need to be a botanist to enjoy the scent of
thyme, rosemary, marjoram and lavender and brightly
coloured wildflowers, such as peonies, gladioli and orchids.

8. Some of the mammals that lived in my mountains
disappeared because of human intervention. Bears became
extict in the 17th century.
Wolves disappeared in the 1920s.

9. Deer and wild board were re-introduced in 1960, together
with the mouflon, a wild sheep with striking overlarge horns.

10. On the highest rocky slopes are
Spanish ibex.

11. Deer watching is easy. In September or early October you
can watch the extraordinay spectacle of the berrea: Male
deers bay to the winds to attract any females.
Sometimes their cry is answered by a challenge and then
follows a fierce butting and crashing of antlers until the
weaker male gives way.

12. 29 species of birds of prey can be seen frequently
above the mountain peaks including griffon
vultures, booted eagles, golden eagles, red kites,
kestrels and peregrine falcons

13. You can also watch the famous lammergeier, called
quebrantahuesos in Spanish, or bone breaker, due to its
habit of dropping its prey down to rocks from great high
It used to breed here but no longer does. Efforts are being
made to re-introduce it as a nesting species

14. The climate is extremely changeable. Snow and frost
are common in winter until late may. The intense
summer heat causes dramatic electrical storms that
often lead to major fores fires.

15. Two of the Iberian Peninsula's most important
rivers have their sources here

16. I am Spain's largest protected
area.
What's my name?