WILD NATURE
Protected natural areas
The nature of La Siberia and its state of conservation stand as one of the outstanding values of our Biosphere Reserve. That is why many hectares are protected and are recognized by the Natura 2000 Network (Special Protection Area for Birds - ZEPA and Special Conservation Area - ZEC) and the Network of Protected Natural Areas of Extremadura (RENPEX), also having a wetland of international importance RAMSAR. Of special interest are also the Regional Reserve of Cíjara and the Public Utility Mountains of La Siberia.
Biodiversity Ecological Corridor of the "Guadalupejo River" (CEB - Red RENPEX)
In the municipalities of Castilblanco and Valdecaballeros, it gathers plant formations of great importance, such as the thermo-Mediterranean riparian galleries, among which stand out the gallery forests of willow and white poplar, ash trees, residual alluvial forests and Mediterranean meadows of tall grasses and rushes. They are home to a large number of fauna, highlighting the consolidated presence of otters, black storks, great crested grebes and little plovers, among others.
Regional Interest Zone (ZIR - RENPEX Network), ZEPA-ZEC (Natura 2000 Network) and RAMSAR Orellana Reservoir.
In the municipality of Puebla de Alcocer, it is characterized by the presence of holm oak groves in the mountain ranges, occasionally accompanied by cork oaks and gall oaks, which are transformed into pastures in the flatter areas. The serial vegetation that accompanies the degraded holm oak grove is composed of kermes oak, rockrose, gorse, jaguarzo, mastic and strawberry tree.
The golden eagle or Bonelli's eagle fly over the mountains, as well as the Egyptian vulture or the solitary rock thrush, among others. In the steppe areas we find emblematic birds in clear regression, such as the great bustard, the little bustard, the black-bellied sandgrouse, etc. In the aquatic habitats provided by the Orellana Reservoir, there are roosts with important concentrations of cranes and a great variety of ducks and waders.
ZEPA-ZEC "Puerto Peña - Sierra de Los Golondrinos".
It includes part of the municipalities of Fuenlabrada de los Montes, Herrera del Duque, Puebla de Alcocer, Talarrubias, Valdecaballeros and Castilblanco. The primitive holm oak forest takes refuge in the shady areas and in high and inaccessible enclaves of the sierras. In flatter areas, the holm oak forest is transformed into pasture, and cork oaks and gall oaks appear.
Also noteworthy is the presence of riparian vegetation, reforestation of pines, strawberry trees and shrub vegetation consisting of heather, peonies, durillos, ruscos, rockroses and jaguarzos. It is very striking the remarkable concentration of birds, both rupicolous and forest, highlighting the red kite, the colonies of griffon vulture, the Iberian imperial eagle, real, Bonelli's, Bonelli's and booted, or the eagle owl. We also find abundant white and black storks in postnuptial concentrations, as well as wintering cranes in the meadows and fields.
ZEPA-ZEC "Sierra de Siruela".
Present in Risco and Tamurejo, the Sierra de Siruela is a mountainous formation of quartzite origin populated by Mediterranean vegetation, crossed by several rivers, which flow into the rivers Zújar, Esteras and Siruela. At its headwaters we find small watercourses on rocky terrain, which are home to various species of orchids.
The patches of scrubland contact with the riparian forms, in a perfect example of a well-preserved Mediterranean river, with abundant ash trees and dense thermophilic vegetation of tamarisk, oleanders, wild vines, mastic, water lilies, water lilies and rushes. The quartzite rocks and dense tree formations favor the presence of Bonelli's and golden eagles, griffon vultures, eagle owls, Egyptian vultures and black storks, as well as black vultures, goshawks and red kites. The relative abundance of prey (rabbits, hares or pigeons) favors the use of the area by the Iberian imperial eagle during its dispersion periods.
SPA "La Serena and Sierras Periféricas" and SAC "La Serena".
In the municipalities of Garbayuela, Puebla de Alcocer, Risco, Sancti-Spíritus and Tamurejo, we find large extensions of sub-steppe, natural grasslands classified as priority habitats in the Habitats Directive, as well as Mediterranean oak groves and gallery forests. This is the most extensive protected area in Extremadura, being one of the areas with the greatest diversity and richness of birds linked to steppe environments, not only at regional level, but also at national and European level, as the Great Bustard and the Great Bustard are found here. the Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Carcara, Stone-curlew, Montagu's Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Common Shelduck, Common Golden Plover, Carambolo Plover and Reed Warbler, among others, can be found here.
SAC "Sierra del Escorial" and SAC "Sierra de Sillares Balbueno".
In the towns of Garbayuela and Puebla de Alcocer, we find this set of mountain ranges that constitute an important natural corridor, which connects the provinces of Córdoba and Ciudad Real with the ZEPA 'Embalse de Orellana y Sierra de Pela'. The typical habitat is made up of siliceous rocky slopes with rocky vegetation with Mediterranean scrub, which also hosts species of orchids, red junipers and Quercus forests. Along its paths we find a high abundance of game, such as deer, roe deer and fallow deer.
SAC "Estena River" and SAC "Guadalemar River".
They are located in the municipalities of Helechosa de los Montes, Fuenlabrada de los Montes and Garbayuela. The ZEC 'Río Estena', close to Cabañeros, represents an unbeatable area of breeding and dispersion for some of the most characteristic bird species of the Mediterranean mountain, such as the black stork, the eagle, the black-eared eagle, and the black stork.s characteristic of the Mediterranean scrubland, such as the black stork, the Iberian imperial eagle, the black vulture or the Egyptian vulture.
For its part, in the environment of the ZEC 'Guadalemar River', we find deer and roe deer in large numbers. In both rivers there are native fish species, such as pardillas, cachos, bogas and calandinos, as well as otters, amphibians and reptiles, such as the common toad or the European and leper tortoises.
Cíjara Regional Hunting Reserve and La Siberia Public Utility Mountains.
Occupying part of the municipalities of Herrera del Duque, Fuenlabrada, Helechosa and Villarta de los Montes, is this impressive Reserve of predominantly public ownership, with an area of 25,000 hectares and a perimeter of 180 km. Its physiognomy is in continuous evolution, and currently has mixed masses of conifers and typical Mediterranean species.
Very notable and outstanding is the presence of a good number of peat bogs, which bring together protected and unique plant species, such as the carnivorous Pinguicolalusitanica and Drosera rotundifolia. Among the fauna, deer, fallow deer, roe deer and wild boar abound, as well as golden eagle, black stork, Egyptian vulture, black and griffon vultures and red-legged partridge. Hunting, managed by the Junta de Extremadura, is allowed on authorized hunting species.