PEDROCHES RANGE

The pilot area ES-1 Pedroches Range is located in the North-east part of the province or Córdoba, within the mountain Range of Sierra Morena. It covers a surface of 361.200 ha. and it includes the Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro Special Protection Area (SPA) and ten Sites of Community Importance (SCI): Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro, Sierra de Santa Eufemia, Río Guadalmez, Suroeste de la Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro, Guadalmellato, Ríos Cuzna y Gato, Río Guadamatilla y arroyo del Tamujar, Río Guadamatilla, Rio Guadalbarbo, Río Zujar and Arroyo de Ventas Nuevas. It is also part of the Sierra de Cardeña Montoro Natural Park and Pedroches Occidental Important Bird Steppe Area in Andalusia (ZIAE).

Landscape is dominated by extensive agriculture and dehesas (savanna-like holm oak forests with pastures, strongly human-managed). The land property is mainly private with only about 3% of public proprieties and one of the most important economic sectors is represented by farm activities (including cattle, pigs, goats and sheep and horses). Also hunting activities have a strong importance in the area, especially small game (rabbits and partridges).

The pilot area ES-1 is formed by 17 municipalities: Pozoblanco, Cardeña, El Viso, El Guijo, Dos Torres, Santa Eufemia, Villaralto, Belalcazar, Hinojosa del Duque, Villanueva del Duque, Villanueva de Córdoba, Alcaracejos, Fuente la Lancha, Conquista, Torrecampo, Añora and Pedroche.

Why is this area important?

Pedroches Range is an important feeding area for birds of prey (Black vulture, Griffon vulture, Golden Eagle, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s eagle and Egyptian vulture) and a wintering area for other bird species such as cranes. It is also remarkable the presence of steppe birds, represented by Great bustard and Little bustard, as well as the endangered Black stork. The almost extinct Iberian lynx stands out among other mammals (Egyptian mongoose, Wolf, European otter and hunting big game species like Wild boar and Red deer).

Some of the above mentioned species are specially endangered and affected by the high incidence of the illegal use of poison in the area, particularly birds of prey and Iberian lynx.

Information about the incidence of poison in this area is available here: Andalusian Strategy Against Poison.

Discover the area!

Take a look at our Photo Gallery

Grupo de desarrollo Rural Los Pedroches. ADROCHES

Mancomunidad de Municipios de los Pedroches

Denominación de origen Los Pedroches

Parque Natural de la Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro

900 811 482

Contact Fundación Gypaetus

 Pedroches Range Pilot Area

C/ Huelva, 27, 1º

C.P.-14400 Pozoblanco  (Córdoba) SPAIN
Tlf: +34 957 74 80 05

pedroches.life.iap@gypaetus.org

www.gypaetus.org