2 Sierra de Grazalema
Facts
The Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park is a protected area in the northeastern part of the province of Cádiz in southern Spain. The park encompasses, within its 51,695 hectares, a complex of mountain ranges, known collectively as the Sierra de Grazalema.
Its a karstic region, with a number of large limestone caverns. The park was declared a biosphere reserve in 1977.
Observations
The weather was too cold and rainy to get the best out of this zone. However we know from a former trip that, despite the scenic views, much of the landscape is ‘organized’, leaving not so many really interesting (i.e. messy) herp-spots.
However over several trips the number of observations counted up quite well. One of the horseshoe whip snakes (Hemorrhois hippoccrepis) was found in the last evening sun at a dirt road complex with an old roman bridge just a few kilometers outside Ronda.
We were also surprised by finding Spanish psammodromus in the meadows of the valley below the scenic village of Grazalema.
Andalucia | 1 Sierra Alcaraz/Cazorla | 2 Sierra de Grazalema | 3 Rota and surroundings | 4 Sierra de Aracena | 5 Puebla de Guzman | 6 Coto Doñana |
observations at Sierra de Grazelema and Ronda
Reptiles & amphibians |
5-1996 |
5-1997 |
5-1999 |
4-2006 |
|
Sharp-ribbed newt |
Pleurodeles waltl |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
Fire salamander |
Salamandra s. longirostus |
- |
- |
- |
larve |
Common toad |
Bufo bufo |
larve |
- |
- |
- |
Stripeless tree frog |
Hyla merionalis |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
Iberian water frog |
Pelophylax perezi |
- |
- |
some |
some |
Spanish terrapin |
Mauremys leprosa |
- |
- |
6 |
1 |
Large psammodromus |
Psammodromus algirus |
- |
some |
some |
some |
Spanish psammodromus |
Psammodromus hispanicus |
- |
- |
1 |
4 |
Spiny-footed lizard |
Acenthodactylus erythrurus |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
Ocellated lizard |
Timon lepidus |
1 |
- |
1 |
1 |
Iberian wall lizard |
Podarcis hispanica |
- |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Western three-toed skink |
Chalcides striatus |
- |
2 |
some |
some |
Iberian worm lizard |
Blanus cinereus |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Montpellier snake |
Malpolon monspessulanus |
- |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Horseshoe whip snake |
Hemorrhois hippocrepis |
- |
- |
2 |
2 |
Ladder snake |
Rhinechis scalaris |
2 |
1 |
2 |
- |
Viperine snake |
Natrix maura |
- |
1 |
- |
2 |
Southern smooth snake |
Coronella girondica |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
False smooth snake |
Macroprotodon cucullatus |
1 |
- |
2 |
1 |
Lataste’s viper |
Vipera l. gaditana |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
Other highlights |
|
|
|
|
|
Woodcock ophrys |
Ophrys scolopax |
|
x |
|
x |
Yellow ophrys |
Ophrys lutea |
|
x |
|
x |
Sawfly ophrys |
Ophrys tenthredinifera |
|
x |
|
|
Bee orchid |
Ophrys apifera |
|
x |
|
|
Dull ophrys |
Ophrys fusca |
|
|
|
x |
Green-winged orchid |
Orchis morio |
|
|
|
x |
-
Cazorla2006-04-12 143226
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/123.jpgThe white village of Benaojan, just behind Ronda. Bad weather coming up.
-
mutsslang612
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/324.jpgFalse smooth snakes seem not so rare as herpetologists thought ten years ago. We found this species on two trips on quite many locations and in very different types of habitat
-
hispanicus612
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/349.jpg -
SP_malpolon_GL
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/358.jpgPortrait of a montpellier snake
-
SP_bloeiendedehesa_BV
http://www.klooiplek.eu/images/trips/preview/679.jpgDehesa in full bloom.