Liébana is a valley closed by mountains. This allows large carnivores to coexist. (Iberian wolf), nocturnal mesocarnivores (badger, marten, marten) and small mouse-hunting weasels on the stone walls.
Almost none of them look easy. You “see” most of them by trail: footprints, excrement, food remains, scent marks. This guide helps you know who lives there without disturbing them.
Old beech forests, damp oak groves, shadowy ravines, fallen wood.
Top predator of the Cantabrian mountain range. Grayish brown fur with dark spots on the front legs. It moves in small family groups.
It looks like a strong domestic cat, but the tail is thick and marked with black rings. Nocturnal hunter of mice and voles.
Stylish mustelid, very agile between branches. Yellow spot on the neck. Indicator of well-preserved forest.
Low and robust body, white head with black stripes. Excavate authentic underground “houses” (tejoneras). Very nocturnal.
Rural mosaic: stone walls, barns, stables, stables and orchards.
Huge, reddish tail, thin snout. Total opportunist: He eats mice, chickens if he can, fallen fruit and even garbage.
Similar to marten but more homely. Large white spot on the chest. Sometimes it sleeps in attics, haystacks or under roofs.
Stylized, spotted body, very long striped tail. It's not a cat: it's another type of carnivore. Very nocturnal and silent.
Banks of the Deva, cold irrigation ditches, flooded meadows, stone walls with moss.
Wild relative of the ferret. Elongated body, pale mask on the face. It moves at ground level among brambles and reeds.
The smallest carnivore in Europe. Brown above, white below. He enters mouse burrows like it's nothing.
High brañas, limestone ridges, summer pastures with cattle and carrion.
In summer it goes up to high areas where there are cattle and there are carrion. There the distances are enormous and seeing them with the eye is almost impossible without binoculars.
You don't need to go deep into the forest to find signs. Human roads are highways for nocturnal fauna.
Any track that goes up towards brañas (e.g. Salarzón track, Cucayo tracks) is an open book at dawn if it has rained. It is the best place to see traces ofFoxand latrinesBadger. Wolf tracks often follow the track linearly for km.
In beech forests with streams (Turieno area, Argüebanes) look for excrement on raised stones in the middle of the path: They are territorial markings ofMartenor Gineta. They usually smell musky/sweet and have remains of fruit (rosehip, hazelnut) or bones.
Going up from Espinama or by cable. Open grassland area. Here the trail gets lost in the grass, but it is a camping area for theIberian wolfin summer. Don't look to see them (it's almost impossible and annoying), but use binoculars to scan the distant slopes at dawn.
Coming soon: Downloadable real-size fingerprint sheets (PDF) to carry on your mobile.
Yes, Liébana is bear territory. There is a stable and reproductive population, connected to the eastern core of the Cordillera. It is a shy animal that avoids humans. If you find one: don't run, make yourself noticed by speaking softly and leave slowly.
Wolf attacks on humans in Spain are extremely rare (practically non-existent in decades). The Iberian wolf fears man and flees before you see it. The biggest risk in the mountains is usually livestock protection dogs if you get too close to the herd.
The "magic moment" is the30 minutes before and after sunrise. It is when the nocturnal ones (badger, fox) retire and the diurnal ones begin. Sunset is also good, but the light falls quickly.
This guide to Liébana carnivores is part of the local nature guides ofdeliebana.es. The objective is to disseminate and encourage respect for wildlife and local livestock.
Responsible viewing: never try to follow or corner wildlife. ALWAYS long distance.
