Thursday 25 August 2016

SPAIN- Wildcat and Wolves Days 1 and 2

 Wildcat- a distinctive individual with white lower face and white patch on upper breast. Our local guide says the white patch on the upper breast is an immaturity feature. 
 Wildcat- a second individual.
 Feeding on the local small rodents 
 A few of the diagnostic features are shown here- the black 'dipped-in-ink' tail, the black banded legs, the stripes on the neck and the rings on the tail. Other features (not visible here) include the black back stripe that stops abruptly on the top of the tail and the gingery coloured 'muzzle'-(visible in upper pics) 
 Iberian Wolf. A sub-species of Eurasian Wolf (which incidentally is a sub-species of Grey Wolf), The Iberian Wolf is more slender than Eurasian, generally more tawny coloured (as in this individual) has white mouth stripes and also dark marking on the forelegs. 
 Iberian Wolf. (Btw on a side note, the first nation state to protect Wolves was Nazi Germany. It is often erased from history that the Nazi's were at the forefront of nature conservation. :-/ The awkward moment you realise......)
 Wild Boar- foolishly walking around right next to a Wolf den. Also had Red Deer in the area. 
 Griffon Vulture and the Moon 
 Silver-spotted Skipper (presumably)
 Silver-spotted Skipper (presumably) 
 We are based in the Boca de Huergano area, in Northern Spain 
 Wildcat country 
 Wolf Country 
Our Group (Sue Healey)  
Me in Wolf Country 

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