Ecofact

Mediterranean Pond Turtles (Mauremys leprosa) in the River Tamuja, Extremadura, Spain, May 2026.

This species is native to the Iberian Peninsula and is listed in Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive. It is a qualifying interest of the Río Almonte Special Area of Conservation, which includes the River Tamuja. The river forms part of the wider River Tagus catchment.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in Parque Natural de Arribes del Duero, Castile and León, Spain, last week.

This photo was taken from a licensed hide on cliffs overlooking the River Douro. The eagle is feeding on a Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that was placed in front of the hide. Small-scale supplementary feeding with wild rabbits is undertaken at this site during the breeding season.

The Golden Eagle is listed under Annex I of the EU Birds Directive, and Spain supports one of the largest breeding populations in Europe.

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) in Sierra Oeste de Madrid, Spain, last week. This species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and is the national bird of Spain.

This is an immature individual. Juvenile and immature Spanish Imperial Eagles are predominantly pale buff-brown and do not acquire the distinctive dark adult plumage with contrasting white shoulder patches until they are around five years old.

The Spanish Imperial Eagle is one of Europe's rarest birds of prey and is listed in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive. It came close to extinction during the 1960s and 1970s, with the population falling to fewer than 50 breeding pairs. Since then, intensive conservation measures have helped drive a remarkable recovery in Spain, and the species returned to breed in Portugal in 2003 after an absence of several decades.

Despite this conservation success, the species remains classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to its restricted distribution and relatively small global population. Continued conservation management is required to address threats including electrocution on power infrastructure, accidental poisoning, illegal persecution, habitat loss and fragmentation, and reductions in food availability.

The Mediterranean forests and woodlands of the Sierra Oeste de Madrid are one of the principal habitats used by Spanish Imperial Eagles and have played an important role in the recovery of the species in Spain.

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) in Parque Natural de Arribas del Duero, Castile and León, Spain, last week. This is the smallest of Europe's four vulture species. It is listed under Annex I of the EU Birds Directive and is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.