| Environmental
concerns in Cantabria are so important that almost a third of its surface
area is dedicated to hunting reserves and natural parks. These areas are
home to protected species such as the brown bear and the caper-caillie.
They live in perfect balance with the other flora and fauna of the region.
Cabárceno
Natural Park is located in the Cabarga mountain range on land once used
for mining. It is five kilometres long and two kilometres wide, with a
total surface area of seven hundred hectares and boasts seventeen kilometres
of road. There are also two lakes which serve as a refuge for diverse species
of water fowl. One zone of the park is actually a small zoo in which animals
are kept in semi-enclosed areas for educational and recreational purposes.
Here one can see brown beas, roe deer, chamois, Spanish ibex, elk, etc.
There are also beautiful nature walks, wooded and garden areas, a reptile
house, a museum of mineralogy and geology, restaurants, trout fishing,
etc.
The
enormous extension of the Saja National Hunting Reserve, of 186,000 hectares,
shelters a huge variety of fauna including two protected species, the brown
bear and the capercaillie, which were once in danger of extinction. There
are also wolves, boar, deer, roe deer and other big game. Other parks worth
mentioning are those of Oyambre, Picos de Europa (2,320 hectares of which
are part of the Cantabrian township of Camaleño), and Saja-Nansa.
Nature lovers should not pass up the Santoña Wetlands, Monte Corona,
the Ebro Dam, nor the entire district of Liébana.
It
should be pointed out that some areas, such as the Saja-Besaya Natural
Park, are closed to automobile traffic. In certain areas, the required
permit can be obtained from the Consejo de Ganadería (Livestock
Council). Telephone 942.21.31.30. |
