Every day there are more species in danger of extinction in all the countries of the world. There are several factors for this to happen, habitat destruction, excessive hunting and climate change are just some of them.
Spain is a territory full of animal diversity, however, in recent decades its populations have decreased, leading some species, from mammals to amphibians, to form part of the black list of endangered animals of extinction. If you are a lover of the animal kingdom and want to know the animals in danger of extinction in Spain, continue reading this article on our site and join the change to prevent them from disappearing.
Iberian Imperial Eagle
In the case of these majestic and large birds, in the 1970s, there were only around 50 pairs flying through the Iberian Peninsula until they reached the north of African territory. Today, thanks to efforts to conserve the imperial eagle, they have increased to 250 pairs, however, their population remains on the list of animals in danger of extinction in Spain. It is a jewel of a bird, and its mortality is mainly due to the modification and destruction of the Mediterranean forest, where it lives. For more information, don't miss our article on birds in danger of extinction in Spain.
Grizzly
The brown bear, the largest of the land mammals, is fighting for its survival thanks to the destruction of its habitat due to mining in the open, construction and the latest anti-animal "fashion": poisoning. In Spain its population is divided between the area of the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian mountain range; in total around 150 copies are calculated. The situation is most critical in the Pyrenees, with only twenty brown bears living there, and, therefore, it is also part of the list of animals in danger of extinction in Spain.
Iberian lynx
On our site we strongly discourage the poaching of any animal. The case of the Iberian lynx is critical for this reason, being one of the most endangered felines in the world that barely survives. Currently, there are only approximately 250 specimens left of this species, distributed in two isolated populations: one is Sierra Morena, with 172 specimens, and the other is La Doñana, with 73.
Ferreret
The ferreret, known as the "Balearic toad", is a tiny amphibian endemic to the Balearic Islands, found in 1981 in a cave in the Serra de Tramuntana. The main causes of its disappearance from almost all of Mallorca (a place where very few remain) are the destruction of wetlands, overexploitation and contamination of water resources. This small animal cannot live in dirty or polluted streams, it needs a calm and clean environment and, therefore, it is one of the animals in danger of extinction in Spain.
Red tuna
According to experts, the global population of bluefin tuna (the one used for sushi) has decreased by almost 50% thanks to the fishing industry, speaking of both illegal fishing and overfishing. The demand for the meat of this great fish is increasing. The bluefin tuna population is distributed throughout the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and is one of the most emblematic fish species in Spanish territory, currently on the brink of extinction, ranking above the black list.
Iberian wolf
The Iberian wolf is now officially an endangered species in Spain. Since the 1970s, these enigmatic wolves have suffered a systematic persecution for being considered a plague Before they inhabited lands south of the Pyrenees, today, protection measures have increased and it is estimated that between 1,500 and 2,000 individuals live distributed in the northwestern quadrant of the Iberian Peninsula.
Today, it is still legal to hunt Iberian wolves in Spain, a fact that further enhances the rapid disappearance of this species. They are wild creatures that deserve to live without human interference.
Basque whale
The Basque whale, also called the North Atlantic right whale, is a magnificent large cetacean (14 to 18 metres), which stopped being seen off the Cantabrian coast many years ago. Some animal experts affirm that, unfortunately, they have been able to disappear on that side of the Atlantic Ocean. Similarly, it is public knowledge that these whales transit the Cantabrian Sea in times of calving and periods immediately after. The main factors that threaten the lives of these incredible creatures are trawling in pairs and collision with boats.
Pyrenean desman
The Pyrenean desman is a small mammal proud of being between 25 and 30 cm long, inhabiting mountainous areas in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It requires clean and pure water to survive and maintain itself for its populations to develop, however, in recent years its ecosystems have been seriously deteriorated. The desman is one of the most threatened species in all of Spain due to the alteration of the rivers and their channels, and the pollution of the waters that kills all its food.
Monk seal
Originally, the monk seal lived happily throughout the Mediterranean and its Atlantic outskirts. However, thanks to unbridled human persecution, pollution and overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea, its population has been reduced, leaving only about 400 specimens alive. In addition to being one of the animals in danger of extinction in Spain, it is one of the rarest species of seal that has inhabited the planet for thousands of years, in fact, remains of bones have been found in caves in Malaga from between 14,000 and 12,000 years old.
Capercaillie
The capercaillie is a bird of the galliform type that since 1986 has been considered a protected species in Spain, although this has not led to an increase in the population when currently only about 500 are registered in the whole the range. Its population has decreased by more than half in the last 20 years due to the destruction and deforestation of the forests of the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian mountain range, places where it lives. Another important reason is the constant change in climate, since it has altered the natural cycles of their environment and of the species that support them.
