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The Albera is the easternmost section of the Pyrenees, where the mountains gradually descend towards the Mediterranean Sea. It is a remarkable natural area, characterised by forests, rocky hills, Mediterranean vegetation and an extraordinary variety of wildlife. The western part of the mountain range is home to beech and oak forests, while the eastern slopes are dominated by cork oaks and Mediterranean scrubland. However, one of the greatest treasures of this landscape is a small, quiet and ancient creature: the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni hermanni).
Tortoises belong to an evolutionary lineage that appeared more than 200 million years ago. They survived enormous environmental changes, including the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs.
The Mediterranean tortoise is a terrestrial reptile, recognisable by its yellowish and black shell, strong legs and slow movements. It is mainly herbivorous, feeding on wild plants, leaves, flowers and other vegetation. Like other reptiles, it depends on external sources of heat to regulate its body temperature. During the coldest months, it enters a period of winter dormancy, reducing its activity until temperatures rise again. Despite its remarkable evolutionary history, this tortoise faces a serious threat to its survival.
The Albera mountain range is home to the last surviving native wild population of Hermann's tortoise on the Iberian Peninsula. In the past, this species inhabited much larger areas along the Catalan Mediterranean coast. Today, its original population survives in a small and fragmented territory.
According to estimates based on surveys carried out in 2017, approximately 6,000 to 7,000 individuals remained in the Albera area. Other populations have been established in Catalunya through conservation and reintroduction programmes. The main threats to the species include forest fires, habitat destruction, agricultural changes, road accidents, predation and the illegal collection of wild tortoises. The species is legally protected, and removing individuals from their natural habitat is strictly forbidden.
During their journey, Claire and The Grandma have learnt about the Centre de Reproducció de Tortugues de l'Albera (Albera Tortoise Breeding Centre), located near the Sanctuary of Mare de Déu del Camp, in Garriguella. The centre plays an essential role in the conservation of the Mediterranean tortoise. Its work includes captive breeding, scientific research, environmental education and the reinforcement of wild populations.
Breeding tortoises under controlled conditions helps reduce the high mortality rates experienced by young animals in the wild. Once suitable for release, captive-bred tortoises can contribute to conservation programmes designed to strengthen existing populations. However, breeding alone is not enough.
Protecting natural habitats, preventing forest fires and raising public awareness are equally important. The survival of the Mediterranean tortoise depends not only on scientists and conservationists, but also on the decisions made by society.
Claire and The Grandma and reflect on the extraordinary contrast between the tortoise's long evolutionary history and its vulnerability in the modern world. An animal whose ancestors lived alongside dinosaurs now depends on human conservation efforts to survive in parts of its former habitat.
The Mediterranean tortoise reminds us that biodiversity is not simply a collection of species. It is a complex network of relationships between animals, plants, landscapes and ecosystems. Protecting a tortoise also means protecting the Mediterranean forests, grasslands and scrublands where it lives. And perhaps the most important lesson is that the value of a living creature does not depend on its size, speed or usefulness to human beings.
Every species has its place in the natural world. Every extinction represents an irreversible loss. And every successful conservation project demonstrates that human beings can also become guardians of the natural heritage they have endangered.
Claire and The Grandma leave the Albera with a simple thought: Some of the most important journeys in life are not about moving faster, but about learning to respect the world around us.
More information: Discovering the Cork Lands
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