Monfragüe

National Park and Biosphere Reserve Monfragüe

It was the first protected natural area of Extremadura. On the 3rd of March 2007 was declared a National Park with 18,852 hectares. An altitude above sea level between 450-750 m and the villages of Casas de Miravete, Jaraicejo, Malpartida de Plasencia,Serradilla, Serrejón, Toril, Torrejón el Rubio.

The term ''Monfragüe'' comes from the Latin ''Monsfragorum'' (wooded mountain). Two rivers cross Monfragüe the Tajo and the Tietar, it has got a Mediterranean landscape composed of holm oaks, cork oaks, rockrose, juniper, alder areas, wild olive, heather, willow and ash trees that protect the shores from erosion and where it has disappeared some thorny bushes called Tamujoso.

The fauna is represented by more than 280 species of vertebrates and the most emblematic are the imperial eagle, black vulture, black stork, vultures, owls, golden eagle, Bonelli's eagle, Egyptian vultures, falcons, hawks, owls, owls etc. The lynx is possibly extinct, as the wolf and the bear from years ago. There are foxes, genets, martens and badgers, deer and mongoose. Among the aquatic species we can find the otter, amphibians like the Tree Frog (Hyla Meridionalis) and newts. Also there are Mediterranean turtle and European.

On 11 March 2003 the Extremadura Regional Council agreed to propose to UNESCO the designation of Monfragüe as a biosphere reserve. In July that year the proposal was approved and in December the Monfragüe Biosphere Reserve accreditation was presented to the Extremadura Regional Government's Ministry for Agriculture and the Environment.


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