The Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park () is a protected area in the Spanish provinces of

Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...

and

Granada Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...

. It contains the

Sierra de Tejeda The Sierra de Tejeda is a mountain range in the Penibaetic System of mountains between the provinces of Málaga and Granada in Spain. Together with the Sierra de Almijara to the east and the Sierra de Alhama to the west it constitutes a limesto ...

and

Sierra de Almijara The Sierra de Almijara is a mountain range in the provinces of Granada and Málaga in southern Spain. The rocks are mainly marble, giving a white or gray color to the narrow ridges and deep ravines. The range is mostly protected by the Sierras of ...

mountains. The park is mountainous and is partly covered by pine forests at the lower levels, while typical Mediterranean vegetation is found higher up. There is a large number of endemic species.

Establishment

The park was declared on 21 September 1999. The park is designated "''Lugares de Importancia Comunitaria''" (LIC; Places of Community Importance) in Andalusia, "''Zonas de Especial Protección para las Aves''" (ZEPA; Special Protection Areas for Birds) in Andalusia and, "''Parque adherido a la Carta Europea de Turismo Sostenible''" (CETS; Park adhering to the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism). The park was designated a

Site of Community Importance A Site of Community Importance (SCI) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) as a site which, in the biogeographical region or regions to which it belongs, contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration at ...

(SCI) of the

Mediterranean Biogeographic Region The Mediterranean Biogeographic Region is the biogeographic region around and including the Mediterranean Sea. The term is defined by the European Environment Agency as applying to the land areas of Europe that border on the Mediterranean Sea, an ...

by the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...

on 19 July 2006. The Tejeda y Almijara National Hunting Reserve is part of the park.

Location

The Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park covers parts of the municipalities of

Alcaucín Alcaucin () is a town and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It borders with the province of Granada. The municipality is situated approximately 54 kilometers to the city of Má ...

Alhama de Granada Alhama de Granada is a town in the province of Granada (province), Granada, approx. 50 km from the city of Granada. The name is derived from the Hot spring, thermal baths located there, which are called ''al-hammah'' in Arabic language, Ar ...

Arenas del Rey :''This is a disambiguation page for the name ''Arenas''. For the sporting event venue, see arena; for other meanings of ''arena'', see arena (disambiguation).'' Arenas (meaning ''sands'' in Spanish) may refer to: Persons * Abbygale Arenas (born ...

, Canillas de Aceituno, Canillas de Albaida,

Cómpeta Cómpeta is a town and municipality in the comarca of Axarquía, and province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. The municipality is situated approximately 18 kilometres from the coast (Costa del Sol), an ...

Frigiliana Frigiliana is a town and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. The municipality is situated approximately 71 kilometers east of Málaga, the provincial capital, and approximately ...

, Jayena,

Nerja Nerja () is a municipality on the Costa del Sol in the province of Málaga in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It is part of the comarca of La Axarquía. It is on the country's southern Mediterranean coast, about east of ...

Otívar Otívar is a municipality located at 267.80 metres above sea level in the Province of Granada, Spain. According to the 2004 census ( INE), the village has a population of 1,113 inhabitants. Agriculture is Otívar's predominant economic activity ...

, Salares and Sedella in the provinces of Málaga and Granada. The park covers . The park contains the

and

mountains in the

Axarquía Axarquía () is a in the province of Málaga, Andalusia in southern Spain. It is the wedge-shaped area east of Málaga. Its name is traced back to Arabic (, meaning "the eastern egion). It extends along the coast and inland. Its coastal towns m ...

''comarca'' of the eastern province of Málaga and the Alhama ''comarca'' on the southwest of the province of Granada. It does not include the Sierra de Alhama, which is further west.

Climate

The mountains have relatively high levels of rainfall, with highest rainfall in December, January and March, and lowest in July. According to the Resource Management Plan (Decree 145/199 of the Junta de Andalucía) annual rainfall ranges from in

Cacín Cacín is a city located in the province of Granada, Spain. It lies to the east of the Río Cacín, from which it takes its name. According to the 2005 census ( INE), the city has a population of 697 inhabitants. See also * List of municipalities ...

Almuñécar Almuñécar () is a Spanish city and municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the southwestern part of the comarcas of Spain, comarca of the Costa Granadina, in the province of Granada. It is located on the shores of the Mediterranean sea ...

and

to in

and Alfarnate. Temperatures in the areas with marine influence, including Nerja, Almuñecar, Frigiliana, Cómpeta, Canillas and Otívar, range from . Higher in the mountains the temperatures range from . Further inland in the Alhama region they range from in summer.

Topography

The Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Mountains extend north from the Mediterranean coast, with peaks over . The mountains contain deep ravines, steep slopes, sharp ridges and rugged crags. The mountains form a natural barrier between the two provinces. The peak of

Tejeda Tejeda is a village and a municipality in the mountainous central part of the island of Gran Canaria in the province of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. Location The village of Tejeda is situated north-west of the Pico de las Nieves and sou ...

(La Maroma) is high, and commands dramatic views of the surrounding mountains and the Mediterranean coast. Other peaks are

Cerro del Lucero The Cerro del Lucero, also known as El Lucero, Raspón de los Moriscos or Cerro de los Moriscos, is a mountain in the Alhama de Granada municipality of the Province of Granada in southern Spain, in the Sierra Almijara. Location The Cerro del Luc ...

at and Navachica at . All of the park has the

calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime (mineral), lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of Science, scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcare ...

formations of the

Subbética Subbética is a comarca in the province of Province of Córdoba (Spain), Córdoba, Spain. Municipalities It contains the following municipalities: * Almedinilla * Benamejí * Cabra, Spain, Cabra * Carcabuey * Doña Mencía * Encinas Reales * Fuen ...

region, with

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of Clay mineral, clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g., Kaolinite, kaolin, aluminium, Al2Silicon, Si2Oxygen, O5(hydroxide, OH)4) and tiny f ...

phyllite Phyllite ( ) is a type of foliation (geology), foliated metamorphic rock formed from slate that is further metamorphosed so that very fine grained white mica achieves a preferred orientation.Stephen Marshak ''Essentials of Geology'', 3rd ed. I ...

s, etc. The area is rich in

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...

and

gneiss Gneiss (pronounced ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. This rock is formed under p ...

over 300 million years old. The most common rock in the Sierra Tejeda is

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

. The Sierra Almijara holds one of the Spain's main sources of

dolomitic Dolomite () is an anhydrous carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate, ideally The term is also used for a sedimentary carbonate rock composed mostly of the mineral dolomite (see Dolomite (rock)). An alternative name sometimes ...

marble. The marble gives white and gray tones to the ridges and ravines. The limestone has been eaten out by water to create a maze of fissures, depressions and caves, including the deep canyon of the

Chíllar River The Chíllar River is a river in the east of the Province of Málaga, Spain. It originates in the Sierra de Almijara and enters Mediterranean Sea just west of the town of Nerja. Location Most of the river runs through the Sierras of Tejeda, ...

, the

Polje A polje, also called karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually in the range of 5–400 km2 (2–154 sq mi). The name derives from the Slavic languages, ...

Zafarraya Zafarraya is a municipality in the province of Granada, Spain, with a population of 2,200 (2003). Zafarraya is known for a Neanderthal mandible found in a cave (Cueva del Boquete) in 1983 by Cecilio Barroso and Paqui Medina. The mandible has been ...

, the

Caves of Nerja The Caves of Nerja () are a series of caverns close to the town of Nerja in the Province of Málaga, Spain. Stretching for almost , the caverns are one of Spain's major tourist attractions. Concerts are regularly held in one of the chambers, whi ...

and La Fájara cave. The Caves of Nerja (''Cueva de Nerja''), with an entrance just south of the park, is a National Monument, as is the ''Sima de la Maroma'' (Maroma Gap). The rivers and streams that drain the sierras to the south feed the Río Guaro, Río Vélez, Río Algarrobo, Río Torrox, Río Chíllar, and the Río Verde in

to the east. To the west, some of the streams feed the Arroyo de la Madre, which is lost in the Polje de Zafarraya. To the north, the rivers ultimately feed the

Guadalquivir The Guadalquivir (, also , , ) is the fifth-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula and the second-longest river with its entire length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is the only major navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable from Seville ...

, whose main basins are those of the Río Alhama,

Río Cacín Rio or Río is the Portuguese and Spanish word for "river". The word also exists in Italian, but is largely obsolete and used in a poetical or literary context to mean "stream". Rio, RIO or Río may also refer to: Places United States * Rio, Fl ...

, Río Añales and Río Cebollón. The Río Grande and Río Granada feed the

Los Bermejales Reservoir Los Bermejales Reservoir () is a reservoir in Arenas del Rey, province of Granada, Andalusia, Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring ...

. The rivers and streams descend rapidly down the mountain slopes, with spectacular waterfalls such as ''Los Árboles Petrificados'' (The Petrified Trees), where limestone (

calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a common substance found in Rock (geology), rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite, most notably in chalk and limestone, eggshells, gastropod shells, shellfish skel ...

) in the water fossilized ancient logs. Elsewhere the waters have carved dramatic gorges, called ''Cahorros'' in the region. The principal peaks are: *

Flora

The name "''Tejeda" refers to the abundance of ''

Taxus baccata ''Taxus baccata'' is a species of evergreen tree in the family (botany), family Taxaceae, native to Western Europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe, as well as Northwest Africa, and parts of Southwest Asia.Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Bri ...

'' (yew) trees in the past. The southernmost ''tejeda'' in the Iberian peninsula can be seen on the route up to Salto del Caballo. The yew was once valued for its medicinal qualities and its wood, and was used in furniture. However, it was mostly eradicated because it is toxic to sheep and cattle. The Sierra de Cazulas had the unique ''Pino de las Cinco Ramas'' (Five-Branch Pine Tree). The headwaters of the Cárdenas River in

have ''

Salix fragilis ''Salix fragilis'' is a scientific name that has historically been used for two different willows: * ''Salix euxina ''Salix euxina'', the eastern crack-willow, is a species of flowering plant in the willow family Salicaceae, native from Turkey ...

'' (brittle willow). In the dry landscape along the borders of the park there are olive trees and vineyards, and also ''

Opuntia ''Opuntia'', commonly called the prickly pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers. Cacti are native to the Americas, and are well adapted to arid clima ...

'' (prickly pear) bushes, ''

agave ''Agave'' (; ; ) is a genus of monocots native to the arid regions of the Americas. The genus is primarily known for its succulent and xerophytic species that typically form large Rosette (botany), rosettes of strong, fleshy leaves. Many plan ...

s'' and ''

Trachycarpus fortunei ''Trachycarpus fortunei'', also known as the Chusan palm,Bean, W. J. (1980). ''Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles'', 8th ed., vol. 4. John Murray. . Chinese windmill palm, or simply the Windmill palm, is a species of hardy evergreen pal ...

'' (windmill palm) trees. Due to its isolation there are many endemic species of flora. Notable flora include ''

Buxus balearica ''Buxus balearica'', the Balearic boxwood, is a shrub or small evergreen tree typical of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub, Mediterranean forest. It grows wild in Algeria, Morocco, the Island of Sardinia and Spain. Description T ...

'' (Balearic boxwood), ''

Juniperus phoenicea ''Juniperus phoenicea'', the Phoenicean juniper or Arâr, is a juniper found throughout the Mediterranean region. Description ''Juniperus phoenicea'' is a large evergreen shrub or small tree reaching tall, with a trunk up to in diameter and ...

'' (Phoenician juniper) and ''

Ephedra distachya ''Ephedra distachya'' is a shrub in the family Ephedraceae that stands about 25 cm to 50 cm high. The shrub grows in many parts of the world, including southern and central Europe and western and central Asia. Its local names include '' ...

'' (joint pine). Where the marble has been eroded into a fine gravel the trees are mainly pine species such as ''

Pinus nigra ''Pinus nigra'', the Austrian pine or black pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across Southern Europe from the Iberian Peninsula and Lower Austria to the eastern Mediterranean, on the Anatolian peninsula of Turkey, Corsica ...

'' (Corsican pine), ''

Pinus halepensis ''Pinus halepensis'', commonly known as the Aleppo pine, also known as the Jerusalem pine, is a pine native to the Mediterranean region. It was officially named by the botanist Philip Miller in his 1768 book ''The Gardener's Dictionary''; he pro ...

'' (Aleppo pine) and ''

Pinus pinea The Italian stone pine, botanical name ''Pinus pinea'', also known as the Mediterranean stone pine is a tree from the pine family (''Pinaceae''). The tree is native to the Mediterranean region, occurring in Southern Europe and the Levant. The ...

'' (Stone pine). Other shrubs and woodland plants include ''

Chamaerops ''Chamaerops'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Arecaceae. It contains only one species, ''Chamaerops humilis'', variously called European fan palm or the Mediterranean dwarf palm. It is one of the most cold-hardy palms and is use ...

'' (dwarf fan palm), ''Sorbus'' (

rowan The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus'' of the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the Himalaya ...

), ''

Genisteae Genisteae is a tribe of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in the subfamily Faboideae of the family Fabaceae. It includes a number of well-known plants including broom, lupine (lupin), gorse and laburnum. The tribe's greatest diversity is ...

'' (broom), ''

Acer granatense ''Acer granatense'', or the Spanish maple, is a species of flowering plant in the genus '' Acer'', native to southern and eastern Spain, including Mallorca in the Balearic Islands and the Rif mountains of Morocco. Considered by some authorities to ...

'' (Spanish Maple), ''

Rhamnus cathartica ''Rhamnus cathartica'', the European buckthorn, common buckthorn, purging buckthorn, or just buckthorn, is a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Rhamnaceae. It is native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia, from the cent ...

'' (buckthorn), '' Maytenus senegalensis'' (spike thorn), ''

Cneorum tricoccon ''Cneorum tricoccon'', the spurge olive, is a small shrub of the family Rutaceae The Rutaceae () is a family (biology), family, commonly known as the rue

'' (spurge olive], ''

Sorbus aria ''Aria edulis'', the whitebeam or common whitebeam, is a species of deciduous tree in the family ''Rosaceae''. The tree often forms new shoots around the trunk. Typically compact and domed, the plant has a few upswept branches and the leaves ha ...

'' (white beam tree), ''

Viburnum tinus ''Viburnum tinus'', the laurustinus, laurustine or laurestine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Adoxaceae, native to the Mediterranean area of Europe and North Africa. ''Laurus'' signifies the leaves' similarities to bay laurel. Des ...

'' (laurestinus), '' Cotoneaster granatensis'' (cotoneaster) and ''

Adenocarpus decorticans ''Adenocarpus decorticans'', also known as silver broom, is a species of flowering plant in the Faboideae subfamily which is native to the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain, the Rif The Rif (, ), also called Rif Mountains, is a geographic regio ...

'' (goosefoot). Higher up there are remnants of the original vegetation. The typical

Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub Mediterranean forests, woodlands and scrub is a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The biome is generally characterized by dry summers and rainy winters, although in some areas rainfall may be uniform. Summers are typically hot in ...

on the upper slopes have trees such as

juniper Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' ( ) of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere as far south ...

, ''

Quercus suber ''Quercus suber'', commonly called the cork oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section ''Quercus'' sect. ''Cerris''. It is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring and as the core ...

'' (cork oak), ''

Quercus ilex ''Quercus ilex'', the holly oak, also (ambiguously, as many oaks are evergreen) evergreen oak, is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the section (botany), section ''List of Quercus species#Section Ilex, Il ...

'' (holm oak), ''

Quercus lusitanica ''Quercus lusitanica'', commonly known as gall oak, Lusitanian oak, or dyer's oak, is a species of oak native to Portugal, Spain ( Galicia and western Andalucia) and Morocco. ''Quercus lusitanica'' is the source of commercial nutgalls. These gal ...

'' (gall oak) and ''

Quercus pyrenaica ''Quercus pyrenaica'', also known as Pyrenean oak, or Spanish oak is a tree native to southwestern Europe and northwestern North Africa. Despite its common name, it is rarely found in the Pyrenees Mountains and is more abundant in northern Portu ...

'' (Pyrenean oak). On

La Maroma La Maroma, also known as Tejeda, at an altitude of 2069 m, is the highest peak of the Sierra de Tejeda, Penibaetic System, Spain. The summit is located in the region of Axarquía on the border between the provinces of Granada and Málaga ...

the ''

'' (holm oak), ''

Viburnum opulus ''Viburnum opulus'', commonly known as the guelder-rose, or guelder rose (), is an Old World species of flowering plant in the family Adoxaceae. Description ''Viburnum opulus'' is a deciduous shrub growing to tall. The leaves are opposite, th ...

'' (guelder-rose) and '' Rhamnus'' (buckthorn) give way higher up to ''

'' (gall oak) and traditional oaks and then to shrubands. Common plants in the scrubland are ''

Prunus prostrata ''Prunus prostrata'' (mountain cherry, rock cherry, creeping cherry, spreading cherry or prostrate cherry) is a hardy alpine shrub found naturally above about 2000 m. up to as high as 4000 m. in Spain, France, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Albania, ...

'' (mountain cherry), '' Erinacea anthyllis'' (hedgehog broom), '' Astragalus granatensis'' (milk vetch), '' Echinospartum boissieri'' and ''

hormathophylla spinosa ''Hormathophylla spinosa'', formerly ''Alyssum spinosum'', the spiny madwort, is a species of flowering subshrub in the genus '' Hormathophylla'' of the family Brassicaceae, native to open rocky sites in south-eastern France and southern Spain. I ...

'' (spiny madwort). The dolomitic gravel and sand areas have been colonized by endemic plants such as the

knapweeds ''Centaurea'' () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding reg ...

'' Centaurea bombycina'' and '' Centaurea prolongi'', '' Saxifraga erioblasta'', ''

linaria amoi ''Linaria'' is a genus of almost 200 species of flowering plants, one of several related groups commonly called toadflax. They are annuals and herbaceous perennials, and the largest genus in the Antirrhineae tribe of the plantain family Plantag ...

'' (

toadflax Toadflax is the common name of several related genera of plants in the family Plantaginaceae, including: * '' Anarrhinum'' * ''Antirrhinum'', also called snapdragon * '' Chaenorhinum'', native to Turkey and the Mediterranean * '' Cymbalaria'' * ''L ...

), ''

Erysimum myriophyllum ''Erysimum'', or wallflower, is a genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. It includes more than 150 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms. ''Erysimum'' is characterised by star-shaped and/or two-sided) tr ...

'' (wallflower) ''

Anthyllis tejedensis ''Anthyllis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Fabaceae. This genus contains both herbaceous plant, herbaceous and shrubby species and is distributed in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The most widespread a ...

'' (Kidney vetch), ''

Hippocrepis eriocarpa ''Hippocrepis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It includes 34 species native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. Etymology The name "Hippocrepis" comes from the Greek for "horse" () and for "shoe" (): ...

'', '' Erinus alpinus'' (fairy foxglove), '' Silene boryi'', '' Pinguicula submediterranea'' (a

butterwort ''Pinguicula'', commonly known as butterworts, is a genus of carnivorous flowering plants in the family Lentibulariaceae. They use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they ...

), '' Hieracium texedense'', ''

Aquilegia vulgaris ''Aquilegia vulgaris'' is a species of perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Aquilegia'' (columbine) in the family Ranunculaceae. Commonly called the common columbine, European crowfoot, and granny's bonnet, it presently possesses the most exp ...

'' (purple columbine), '' andryala agardhii'', '' Odontites longiflora'', '' Polygala boissieri'' (a

milkwort ''Polygala'' is a large genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Polygalaceae. They are commonly known as milkworts or snakeroots. The genus is distributed widely throughout much of the worldIberis grossi''. There are many aromatic herbs such as

oregano Oregano (, ; ''Origanum vulgare'') is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate climate, temperate Northern Hemisphere. Oregano is a ...

rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers. It is a member of the sage family, Lamiaceae. The species is native to the Mediterranean r ...

, lemon thyme, lavender, savory and sage.

Fauna

Birds include the resident

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of pr ...

(''Aquila chrysaetos'') and

Bonelli's eagle Bonelli's eagle (''Aquila fasciata'') is a large bird of prey. The common name of the bird commemorates the Italian ornithologist and collector Franco Andrea Bonelli. Bonelli is credited with gathering the type specimen, most likely from an expl ...

(''Aquila fasciata''). Other birds include

griffon vulture The Eurasian griffon vulture (''Gyps fulvus'') is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. It is also known as the griffon vulture, although this term is sometimes used for the genus as a whole. It is not to be confuse ...

(''Gyps fulvus''),

Egyptian vulture The Egyptian vulture (''Neophron percnopterus''), also called the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken, is a small Old World vulture in the monotypic genus ''Neophron''. It is widely distributed from the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa ...

(''Neophron percnopterus'') and

horned owl The Americas, American (North and South America) horned owls and the Old World eagle-owls make up the genus ''Bubo'', at least as traditionally described. The genus name ''Bubo'' is Latin for owl. This genus contains 10 species that are found i ...

. The

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

(''Falco peregrinus''),

goshawk Goshawk may refer to several species of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae: Palearctic * Eurasian goshawk, ''Astur gentilis'', often referred to simply as the goshawk, since it is the only goshawk found in much of its range (in Europe and ...

and

common kestrel The common kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus''), also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel or Old World kestrel, is a species of bird of prey, predatory bird belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family (biology), family Falconidae. ...

(''Falco tinnunculus'') may be seen, and the

short-toed snake eagle The short-toed snake eagle (''Circaetus gallicus''), also known as the short-toed eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers. The genus n ...

(''Circaetus gallicus'') and

booted eagle The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...

(''Hieraaetus pennatus'') during migration periods.

Woodpecker Woodpeckers are part of the bird family (biology), family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar and the extreme ...

s can be heard in the forests. The rocky areas are home of the crag martin (''Hirundinidae''), rock bunting (''Emberiza cia''),

rock thrush The rock thrushes, ''Monticola'', are a genus of chat (bird), chats, medium-sized mostly insectivorous or omnivorous songbirds. All are Old World birds, and most are associated with mountainous regions. Taxonomy The genus ''Monticola'' was erect ...

blue rock thrush The blue rock thrush (''Monticola solitarius'') is a species of chat. This thrush-like Old World flycatcher was formerly placed in the family Turdidae. It breeds in southern Europe, northwest Africa, and from Central Asia to northern China and M ...

(''Monticola solitarius'') and

alpine accentor The alpine accentor (''Prunella collaris'') is a small passerine bird in the family Prunellidae, which is native to Eurasia and North Africa. Taxonomy The Alpine accentor was described by the Austrian naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 176 ...

(''Prunella collaris'').

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 ...

s (''Motacilla cinerea'') and

dipper Dippers are members of the genus ''Cinclus'' in the bird family Cinclidae, so-called because of their bobbing or dipping movements. They are unique among passerines for their ability to dive and swim underwater. Taxonomy The genus ''Cinclus'' ...

s use the streams and rivers, and in the summer

golden oriole The Eurasian golden oriole (''Oriolus oriolus''), also called the common golden oriole, is the only member of the Old World oriole family of passerine birds breeding in Northern Hemisphere temperate regions. It is a summer migrant in Europe and ...

s (''Oriolus oriolus'') and

nightingale The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (''Luscinia megarhynchos''), is a small passerine bird which is best known for its powerful and beautiful song. It was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, ...

s (''Luscinia megarhynchos'') are found in the poplar woods beside the rivers. Alcaucin-Maroma

The park is home to

Iberian ibex The Iberian ibex (''Capra pyrenaica''), also known as the Spanish ibex, Spanish wild goat and Iberian wild goat, is a species of ibex endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Four subspecies have been described; two are now extinct. The Portuguese ibex ...

(''Capra pyrenaica''), which have their greatest population in the park. This species was almost extinct 100 years ago, but has since rebounded to a population of about 2,000 goats, one of the largest in Spain.

Common genet The common genet (''Genetta genetta'') is a small viverrid indigenous to Africa that was introduced to southwestern Europe. It is widely distributed north of the Sahara, in savanna zones south of the Sahara to southern Africa and along the coas ...

s (''Genetta genetta'') are also present. The rivers hold

trout Trout (: trout) is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the ...

crayfish Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans belonging to the infraorder Astacidea, which also contains lobsters. Taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe through feather-like gills. Some spe ...

and

otter Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among ...

s. Betic midwife toads (''Alytes dickhilleni'') are endemic to the park and the massifs between

Almería Almería (, , ) is a city and municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of Almería, province of the same name. It lies in southeastern Iberian Peninsula, Iberia on the Mediterranean S ...

and

Murcia Murcia ( , , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the Capital (political), capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the Ranked lists of Spanish municipalities#By population, seventh largest city i ...

. The caves are home to

horseshoe bat Horseshoe bats are bats in the family Rhinolophidae. In addition to the single living genus, ''Rhinolophus'', which has about 106 species, the extinct genus '' Palaeonycteris'' has been recognized. Horseshoe bats are closely related to the Ol ...

s and Malaga Glandular Cricket (''Malacitana Petaloptila''). The amphibians include

Iberian ribbed newt The Iberian ribbed newt (''Pleurodeles waltl)'', also known Common name, commonly as the Spanish ribbed newt and ''el gallipato'' in Spanish, is a species of salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the Family (biology), family Salamandrida ...

(''Pleurodeles waltl'') in ponds and streams, Betic midwife toad (''Alytes dickhilleni''),

common toad The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (''Bufo bufo'', from Latin ''bufo'' "toad"), is a toad found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, parts of Scandinavia, and some List ...

(''Bufo spinosus''), Spanish painted frog (''Discoglossus jeanneae''),

Natterjack toad The natterjack toad (''Epidalea calamita'') is a toad native to sandy and heath (habitat), heathland areas of Europe and the United Kingdom. Adults are in length, and are distinguished from common toads by a yellow line down the middle of the b ...

(''Epidalea calamita''),

Mediterranean tree frog The Mediterranean tree frog (''Hyla meridionalis''), or stripeless tree frog, is a species of frog found in south-west Europe and north-west Africa. It resembles the European tree frog, but is larger (some females are up to long), has longer hi ...

(*''Hyla meridionalis]''), Iberian spadefoot toad (''

Pelobates cultripes ''Pelobates cultripes'' is a toad species in the family Pelobatidae. It is known under many different common names, including the western spadefoot, Iberian spadefoot toad, Spanish spadefoot toad, and Wagler's spadefoot toad. It is found in most ...

''),

Perez's frog The Perez's frog (''Pelophylax perezi''), also known as Iberian waterfrog, Iberian green frog or Coruna frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is native to southern France, Portugal, Spain, and has been introduced to the Canary Isl ...

(''Rana perezi'') and marbled newt (''Triturus marmoratus''). Among the reptiles there are specimens of spiny-footed lizard (''

Acanthodactylus erythrurus ''Acanthodactylus erythrurus'', commonly known as the spiny-footed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to northwestern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). ''A Field Guide to t ...

''),

Iberian worm lizard The Iberian worm lizard, Mediterranean worm lizard, or European worm lizard (''Blanus cinereus'') is a species of reptile in the Family (biology), family Blanidae (worm lizards) of the clade Amphisbaenia. The Iberian worm lizard is locally know ...

(''Blanus cinereus''), Bedriaga's skink (''

Chalcides bedriagai ''Chalcides bedriagai'', commonly known as Bedriaga's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. It usually lives in sandy areas with sparse vegetation and good ground cover. It can al ...

''), Common chameleon (''Chamaeleo chamaeleon''), Southern smooth snake ('' Coronella girondica''),

Horseshoe whip snake The horseshoe whip snake (''Hemorrhois hippocrepis'') is a species of snake in the family Colubridae . The species is native to southwestern Europe and northern Africa. Description Adults of ''H. hippocrepis'' may attain a total length (includin ...

(''Hemorrhois hippocrepis''), Montpellier snake (''

Malpolon monspessulanus ''Malpolon monspessulanus'', commonly known as the Montpellier snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake. Geographic range It is very common in Spain, Portugal and Northwest Africa, being also present in the southern Mediterranea ...

''), False smooth snake (''

Macroprotodon cucullatus ''Macroprotodon cucullatus'', commonly known as the false smooth snake, is a species of mildly venomous colubrid snake endemic to the Mediterranean Basin. Geographic distribution ''M. cucullatus'' is found in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Lib ...

''),

Spanish pond turtle The Iberian pond turtle (''Mauremys leprosa''), also known as the Mediterranean pond turtle or Mediterranean turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa. Subspec ...

(''Mauremys leprosa''), Viperine water snake (''

Natrix maura The viperine water snake or viperine snake (''Natrix maura'') is a semiaquatic, fish-eating natricine water snake. Despite its common names, it is not a member of the subfamily Viperinae. It was given its common names due to exhibiting a dorsal ...

''), Algerian sand racer (''

Psammodromus algirus ''Psammodromus algirus'', known commonly as the Algerian psammodromus or the large psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is found in southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa. Subspecies There are four su ...

''), Cinderella Lizard (''

Psammodromus hispanicus ''Psammodromus hispanicus'', the Spanish psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in France, Portugal, and Spain. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, sandy shore ...

''), Iberian wall lizard (''

Podarcis hispanicus ''Podarcis hispanicus'', also known as Iberian wall lizard, is a small wall lizard species of the genus ''Podarcis''. It is found in the Iberian Peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc-Roussillon in France. In Span ...

''),

Ladder snake The ladder snake (''Zamenis scalaris'') is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to southwestern Europe. Distribution The geographic range of the ladder snake includes Portugal, Spain, southern France a ...

(''Zamenis scalaris''), Common Salamanquesa (''

Tarentola mauritanica ''Tarentola mauritanica'', known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas (in Montevi ...

''),

Ocellated lizard The ocellated lizard or jewelled lizard (''Timon lepidus'') is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Lacertidae (wall lizards). The species is Endemism, endemic to southwestern Europe. Common names Additional common names for ''T. l ...

(''Timon lepidus''), Snout viper ('' Vipera latastei'').

Human presence

Historical

The steep mountain slopes and poor soils are unsuitable for agriculture, but the local people have hunted in the forests, and used the trees for pine resin, charcoal and firewood. The region has been home to diverse cultures, including a strong Muslim heritage, with white villages scattered through the remote valleys and mountain ranges. The west of Granada held the last

Nasrid The Nasrid dynasty ( ''banū Naṣr'' or ''banū al-Aḥmar''; ) was an Arab dynasty that ruled the Emirate of Granada from 1232 to 1492. It was the last Muslim dynasty in the Iberian Peninsula. Twenty-three sultans ruled Granada from the foun ...

strongholds in Spain. Alhama has an interesting complex of buildings of Roman, Andalusian and Moorish origin, with limestone facades and twisted arches, stairways and towers. The

, of marked Moorish character, has one of the most representative architectural samples in the Alminar Tower of the town of Salares. The inhabitants of the inaccessible mountains joined the

Morisco ''Moriscos'' (, ; ; "Moorish") were former Muslims and their descendants whom the Catholic Church and Habsburg Spain commanded to forcibly convert to Christianity or face compulsory exile after Spain outlawed Islam. Spain had a sizeable Mus ...

rebellion after the

Granada War The Granada War was a series of military campaigns between 1482 and 1492 during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, against the Nasrid dynasty's Emirate of Granada. It ended with the defeat o ...

. The mountains have been used as a refuge by bandits, and during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) by anti-

Franco Franco may refer to: Name * Franco (name) * Francisco Franco (1892–1975), Spanish general and dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975 * Franco Luambo (1938–1989), Congolese musician, the "Grand Maître" * Franco of Cologne (mid to late 13th cent ...

guerrillas. In the past, trails were made through the mountains to carry fish north to the markets of

. In the 19th century the mountains were exploited intensively for mining, sheep herding and wine production. Later they were reforested with pine species to provide timber.

Tourism

The cuisine reflects the fertile lands, rich in the production of tropical fruits such as

. Traditional foods include the ''potajes de la sierra'' (thick soups), game meat, ''choto'' (young goat) and artisanal goat cheeses. The Malaga region is known for muscat wines. Recreational activities include

canyoning Canyoning (canyoneering in the United States, kloofing in South Africa) is a sport that involves traveling through canyons using a variety of techniques, such as walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling (rappelling), swimming, and raft ...

, caving, mountaineering and free flight, mountain biking, hiking, birdwatching, mushroom picking and trout fishing in the

Cacín River The Cacín River () is a river in Andalusia, Spain. It is supplied by streams flowing north from the Sierra de Almijara and Sierra de Tejeda into the Granada Basin. The river originates in the Los Bermejales Reservoir, and flows north to join the ...

. Designated camping areas in the park include La Alcaéca camping area, El Robledal camping area, and La Rahige with picnic areas and barbecue pits. The Cortijo de Alcázar and Fábrica de la Luz campsite have showers and toilets, and the El Pinarillo campsite has toilets. Most of the villages around the park have hotels and hostels.

Festivals

The communities surrounding the park hold festivals at different times:

Notes

Citations

Sources

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT: Geography of the Province of Málaga Geography of the Province of Granada Natural parks of Andalusia