The Natural Park of Las Batuecas - Sierra de Francia is a protected natural area in the west of

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

and particularly in the south-west of the

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

region. In the autonomous community

Castile and Leon Castile, Castille or Castilla may refer to: Places Spain * Castile (historical region), a vaguely defined historical region of Spain covering most of Castile and León, all of the Community of Madrid and most of Castilla–La Mancha * Kingdom o ...

, along the border with

Extremadura Extremadura ( ; ; ; ; Fala language, Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is a landlocked autonomous communities in Spain, autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, Spain, Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central- ...

. The

natural park (Spain) A nature park, or sometimes natural park, is a designation for a protected area by means of long-term land planning, sustainable resource management and limitation of agricultural and real estate developments. These valuable landscapes are pres ...

was established on July 11, 2000. It includes 15 different municipalities:

Monsagro Monsagro is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spa ...

El Maíllo El Maíllo () is a village and municipality in the province of Salamanca, in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y Leon, Spain. It is situated some from Salamanca, the provincial capital A capital city, or just capital, is the municipality h ...

, Serradilla del Arroyo,

La Alberca La Alberca is a municipality in the province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, Spain. It is the capital of Sierra de Francia Comarca. In 2003, the population of La Alberca was 1105, and the area . Its altitude is ab ...

El Cabaco El Cabaco is a village and municipality in the province of Salamanca, western Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. It is located from the provincial capital city of Salamanca and has a population of 248 people. Geography The ...

Nava de Francia Nava de Francia is a municipality in the province of Salamanca, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is away from Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Sala ...

Mogarraz Mogarraz is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spa ...

Herguijuela de la Sierra Herguijuela de la Sierra is a village and municipality in the province of Salamanca, western Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castilla y León. It is located from the provincial capital city of Salamanca and has a population of 300 peop ...

Monforte de la Sierra Monforte de la Sierra is a village and small municipality in the province of Salamanca, western Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. It is located from the provincial capital city of Salamanca and has a population of 81 peopl ...

Madroñal Madroñal is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Sp ...

, Cepeda, Villanueva del Conde,

Miranda del Castañar Miranda del Castañar is a municipality located in the Salamanca (province), province of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. As of 2016 the municipality has a population of 426 inhabitants. The town of Miranda del Castañar is labeled "Historic ...

and

Sotoserrano Sotoserrano is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in ...

San Martin del Castañar was added on 18 December 2008.

Ecosystems

Wildlife

The park covers a vast area covering part of the

Sierra de Francia The Sierra de Francia is a mountain range located in Sierra de Francia Comarca at the southern end of Salamanca Province, Castile and León, Spain. It is located about 70 km from Salamanca city. The region is sparsely inhabited and its few ...

and the Batuecas valley within it, a place that also gives its name to the park. This is where most of the wildlife and flora are present in the area, and where some of the most unusual Spanish biodiversity can be seen. The

black stork The black stork (''Ciconia nigra'') is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. Measuring on average from beak tip to end of tail with a wingspan, t ...

is the jewel of the park, and has a small colony which is an essential value for being a bridge between existing populations in the

Arribes del Duero Natural Park Arribes del Duero Natural Park is a protected area in western Spain, covering 106.105 ha in the autonomous community of Castile and León. In this area the river Duero forms the national boundary between Spain and Portugal, and the Portuguese side ...

and those living in

. Other birds present in the park includes

common cuckoo The cuckoo, common cuckoo, European cuckoo or Eurasian cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the Geococcyx, roadrunners, the ani (bird), anis and the coucals. This species is a widesp ...

red-legged partridge The red-legged partridge (''Alectoris rufa'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It is sometimes known as French partridge, to distinguish it from the English or grey partridge. The ge ...

, woodpigeon,

European turtle dove The European turtle dove (''Streptopelia turtur'') is a threatened or vulnerable member of the bird family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It breeds over a wide area of the south western Palearctic including north Africa but migrates to north ...

European robin The European robin (''Erithacus rubecula''), known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in the British Isles, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that belongs to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found across Europe, ea ...

reed bunting The common reed bunting (''Emberiza schoeniclus'') is a passerine bird in the Emberiza, bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. The genus name ''Emberiza'' is from Old High German, ...

common blackbird The common blackbird (''Turdus merula'') is a species of true thrush. It is also called the Eurasian blackbird (especially in North America, to distinguish it from the unrelated New World blackbirds), or simply the blackbird. It breeds in Europ ...

Iberian grey shrike The Iberian grey shrike (''Lanius meridionalis'') is a member of the shrike family. It is closely related to the great grey shrike, ''Lanius excubitor'', and its plumage is generally similar to the great grey shrike apart from the differences not ...

grey wagtail The grey wagtail (''Motacilla cinerea'') is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail (disambiguation), yellow wagtail but has the yello ...

and

white wagtail The white wagtail (''Motacilla alba'') is a small passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which also includes pipits and longclaws. The species breeds in the Palearctic zone in most of Europe and Asia and parts of North Africa; it also has ...

and the

Eurasian blue tit The Eurasian blue tit (''Cyanistes caeruleus'') is a small passerine bird in the tit (bird), tit family, Paridae. It is easily recognizable by its blue and yellow plumage and small size. Eurasian blue tits, usually resident bird, resident a ...

Flora

The region of the

is formed by an intricate depression covered by the

Alagón River Alagón may refer to: * Alagón (river), a river in Spain, tributary of the Tagus *Alagón, Zaragoza Alagón is a municipality in the Zaragoza (province), province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2009 census (Instituto Nacional de Est ...

. Within it there are two hidden rough and rugged valleys, which provide places of safe haven and perfect hiding, but this also creates an oppressive narrowness.

Historical-artistic

Traditional culture and architecture is highly conserved in the municipalities of the Sierra. Several villages are protected by the Spanish historic-artistic declaration including:

, San Martin Castañar,

Sequeros Sequeros is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spa ...

Monleón Monleón is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spa ...

and

References

External links

Natural Heritage of Castilla and Leon
{{authority control Parks in Spain Natural parks of Spain