16 DAYS TO GO! Wild Animals on the Camino

Cantabrian brown bear

Yikes, bears on the Camino!  I thought it was a joke when I first heard this, but it is true!
From Wikipedia: 
Cantabrian brown bear refers to a population of Eurasian brown bears (Ursus arctos arctos) living in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain. Females weigh, on average, 85 kg but can reach a weight of 150 kg. Males average 115 kg though can weigh as much as 200 kg. The bear measures between 1.6 – 2m in length and between 0.90 -1m at shoulder height. In Spain, it is known as the Oso pardo cantábrico and, more locally, in Asturias as Osu. It is timid and will avoid human contact whenever possible. The Cantabrian brown bear can live for around 25–30 years in the wild.

  
This is the location of the bears and also our route.  Note the snow in the picture!

 A view of the habitat of the bears and our route!  
Note the few houses, I have been told that some of the villages only have about 5 houses.  I presume this is a picture of one of the small villages. 










And I thought that the only animals on the Camino were bulls and dogs!  


 
 Apparently there are also wild horses in the area.  Every year in July there is a festival, the Spanish love festivals, and approximately 400 horses are round up, caught, have there manes and tails trimmed and the released into the wild again! This picture was taken in July 2014.










Some of the protected Iberian animals include: storks, several species of vultures, the Iberian wolf, Iberian wild boar, Iberian lynx, Cantabrian brown bear and Iberian fox.

Iberian Wolf