With patience, with respect for the environment and for the animals, and accompanied by experts, in Spain you can observe wild animals in their native habitat. Some of these suggestions can practically guarantee a sighting; for example, whale and dolphin watching, many bird species, or deer in the rutting season. For others, you will need the right conditions and a little luck, but you could be rewarded by a sighting of a brown bear, a wolf, an Iberian lynx, or the huge bearded vulture.
Dolphins and whales
There are plenty of boat trips to see dolphins on the coast of Cadiz, on the Canary Islands, in the region of Murcia, and in the Rias Baixas of Galicia. The dolphins themselves often approach the boats in some areas. You can even see the occasional pod from the shore, if you have good eyesight. Meanwhile, it is possible to spot whales and orcas in Cantabria and the Basque Country, although sightings are more unusual.
Red deer
The rut is the red deer mating season, when the stags bellow to attract the does and challenge their rivals. It usually happens in late September, the best time to watch the deer from a distance and enjoy their mating rituals. This natural spectacle can be seen in many places in Spain, including the mountains of Alto Campoo (Cantabria), Sierra de la Culebra strict nature reserve (in Zamora, Castile and Leon), Cabañeros National Park (between Toledo and Ciudad Real, Castile La Mancha - La Mancha), Doñana National Park (between Huelva, Cadiz and Seville, Andalusia) or Monfragüe National Park (i Cáceres, Extremadura).
Flamingos
Spain is an ideal destination for these elegant birds, which are attracted by the mild temperatures. They can easily be seen at almost any time of year among dunes and wetlands all over the country. Places like the Doñana National Park and the L'Ebre Delta Nature Reserve (in Catalonia) are particularly good locations.
Brown bear
An endangered species, it is estimated that only 370 brown bears remain in Spain. They inhabit the Cordillera Cantábrica mountains, among beech, oak and birch forests, in natural spaces like the Somiedo Nature Reserve and the Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias Nature Reserve (Asturias), the Montaña Palentina Nature Reserve (Castile and Leon), and the mountains of Campoo de Suso, Polaciones, and Liébana (Cantabria). Bear-watching should always be guided by an expert, and at a safe distance. Bear-spotting excursions usually set out at dawn or sunset from April to June and from August to November.
Iberian lynx
This large feline is critically endangered. It is estimated that more than 2,000 Iberian lynx live on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain has various ongoing programmes for the recovery and conservation of the species and has two fairly consolidated populations in Andalusia: in the Doñana National Park (in the Huelva area) and among the nature reserves of the Sierras of Cardeña and Montoro (Cordoba) and Sierra Morena de Andújar (Jaen). You are more likely to spot them in the early morning, and from hides on hillsides and areas with grassy clearings. They must always be observed from a distance, and you will need binoculars, silence, and a great deal of patience.
Wolf
Spain has one of the densest populations of wolves in western Europe. They inhabit the mountains known as Sierra de la Culebra, in Zamora (Castile and Leon), where they can be seen at any time of year. And from September to November, you may even spot the wolf cubs who were born in the previous spring. The Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente Iberian Wolf Centre, in Puebla de Sanabria is the perfect place to find out everything about this animal.
Cinereous vulture
These enormous birds, with a wingspan of 2.5 metres or more, are the symbol of the Monfragüe National Park (Extremadura). The estimated population there is about 400 pairs. The Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (between Madrid and Castile and Leon) is also a good place to observe them.
Bearded vulture
It is one of the large birds that fly through the skies of high mountain areas with little human presence and it is estimated that nearly 60% of its population in all of Spain lives in Aragon. The Sobrarbe area, including spots like Aínsa or Escuaín, may be the likeliest place to see a bearded vulture. It is also home to other rare bird species, including red kites, cinereous vultures, and golden eagles.
