01 - Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
These sea turtles have found their own little paradise on beaches in the Region of Murcia, where they come to nest at the end of spring and during the summer. Their nesting sites are becoming increasingly numerous and are found, for example, in La Manga and in the Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila Regional Park. Their presence on our coast is supported by a range of conservation actions.
02 - Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
This is the most common of the three dolphin species that live in the Mediterranean waters surrounding the region. It's also the largest. These dolphins live by the coast, although they also swim in deeper waters. Interestingly, the ones that live in the open sea are larger than the ones living by the coast. The Gulf of Mazarrón and the Murcian stretch of the Gulf of Vera are two exceptional spots for sightings along the coast.
03 - Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)
This large carnivore swims in several rivers throughout our region, although the most stable population is found in the Segura River. They patrol their territory in search of the vertebrates and crustaceans as their main food source and seek shelter among riparian plants. Their presence is a sign of environmental quality. This is the most representative wildlife species found in the Cañaverosa Nature Reserve.
04 - Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata)
The most agile of our great eagles is a symbol of Mediterranean coastal foothills and mountains, where it finds rocky cliffs perfect for nesting. It feeds mainly on partridges, although it also feeds on rabbits and ocellated lizards depending on the time of year. Key populations are found in La Muela-Cabo Tiñoso, La Almenara and Cabo Cope.
05 - Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
With a wingspan of over two metres long and a robust build, the golden eagle is the largest eagle found on the Iberian Peninsula. `Power is perhaps the word that best describes this beautiful bird of prey, which is found throughout the mountains in the Region of Murcia. Look to the skies and you might see it soaring majestically above.
06 - Black wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
This distinctive bird, with dark plumage and a partially white tail, lives in arid, stony and sparsely vegetated areas in the warmer, drier regions of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. The Region of Murcia, specifically the Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila Regional Park, is one of the best places to spot it. Their presence is an indicator of a healthy ecosystem.
07 - Common flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
An unmistakable gregarious bird, with long legs and an elegant neck. Its pink colour becomes more vibrant with age. It lives in the shallow waters of lagoons and salt ponds, searching the mud to feed on micro-organisms using its peculiar curved filtering beak. It's easy to spot it in our region in the Mar Menor environment, in natural areas like the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park. You can appreciate this colourful bird at various birdwatching observatories.
08 - Spanish toothcarp (Iberian Lebias)
Endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, this small fish is highly endangered. It's barely five centimetres long and has a stocky body with round fins. In the past, it could be found in the Segura River and in irrigation channels across the area of Huerta de Murcia, but numbers have now reduced; today, it¿s limited to the Mar Menor coastal lagoon and surrounding wetlands, with just a few remaining in the Chícamo River. Both populations show greater genetic variability than those in the rest of the peninsula. Recently, it has also been found in the Rambla Salada area and in the tailwaters of Santomera Reservoir.
09 - Common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon)
The Region of Murcia has significant populations of this unique arboreal reptile, the only one of its family in Europe. It can reach up to 30 centimetres in length and thrives in scrubland, dune environments and coastal pine forests. Found in the coastal foothills of Murcia and Cartagena, its population density is particularly high in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park, the Calblanque Regional Park, and the El Valle y Carrascoy Regional Park. It adapts to other environments and can be found in rainfed tree crops. Numbers are currently increasing in our region.
10 - Rufous-tailed scrub robin (Cercotrichas galactotes)
As elsewhere across the Iberian Peninsula, this species is in decline in our region due to habitat loss caused by changes in farming techniques, particularly the transition from dry farming to intensive agriculture. This is an endangered bird whose breeding pairs are almost exclusively found in the lowlands and dry riverbeds of the Mazarrón and Águilas mountains. It's a bioindicator of a high-quality ecosystem, and it usually moves along the ground and low scrubland in search of insects. It gets its name from its characteristic behaviour of raising and unfurling its reddish tail. Walk calmly and keep your eyes open to spot it.
11 - Trumpeter finch (Bucanetes githagineus)
This small granivorous bird is native to North Africa, but there are small populations scattered throughout specific areas in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands. The Region of Murcia is one of the best birdwatching tourism destinations for this species, typical of sub-desert habitats, areas of scattered scrubland and generally stony soils in ravines and dry riverbeds. It gets its name from the characteristic long nasally sound of its song. Cabo Cope Regional Park, Puntas de Calnegre and the Chícamo River Reserve (SAC) are great places to spot trumpeter finches.
12 - Red-billed chough (Phyrrocorax phyrrocorax)
This mountain corvid, with its shiny black plumage, red legs and red beak, thrives like few others in the most remote areas of the region, dominated by steep, rocky cliffs. It shares its rocky habitat with birds such as the golden eagle, peregrine falcon and eagle owl. There are representative populations in the Sierra de la Pila Regional Park and in the El Valle y Carrascoy Regional Park.
01 - Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
These sea turtles have found their own little paradise on beaches in the Region of Murcia, where they come to nest at the end of spring and during the summer. Their nesting sites are becoming increasingly numerous and are found, for example, in La Manga and in the Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila Regional Park. Their presence on our coast is supported by a range of conservation actions.
02 - Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
This is the most common of the three dolphin species that live in the Mediterranean waters surrounding the region. It's also the largest. These dolphins live by the coast, although they also swim in deeper waters. Interestingly, the ones that live in the open sea are larger than the ones living by the coast. The Gulf of Mazarrón and the Murcian stretch of the Gulf of Vera are two exceptional spots for sightings along the coast.
03 - Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)
This large carnivore swims in several rivers throughout our region, although the most stable population is found in the Segura River. They patrol their territory in search of the vertebrates and crustaceans as their main food source and seek shelter among riparian plants. Their presence is a sign of environmental quality. This is the most representative wildlife species found in the Cañaverosa Nature Reserve.
04 - Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata)
The most agile of our great eagles is a symbol of Mediterranean coastal foothills and mountains, where it finds rocky cliffs perfect for nesting. It feeds mainly on partridges, although it also feeds on rabbits and ocellated lizards depending on the time of year. Key populations are found in La Muela-Cabo Tiñoso, La Almenara and Cabo Cope.
05 - Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
With a wingspan of over two metres long and a robust build, the golden eagle is the largest eagle found on the Iberian Peninsula. `Power is perhaps the word that best describes this beautiful bird of prey, which is found throughout the mountains in the Region of Murcia. Look to the skies and you might see it soaring majestically above.
06 - Black wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
This distinctive bird, with dark plumage and a partially white tail, lives in arid, stony and sparsely vegetated areas in the warmer, drier regions of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. The Region of Murcia, specifically the Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila Regional Park, is one of the best places to spot it. Their presence is an indicator of a healthy ecosystem.
07 - Common flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
An unmistakable gregarious bird, with long legs and an elegant neck. Its pink colour becomes more vibrant with age. It lives in the shallow waters of lagoons and salt ponds, searching the mud to feed on micro-organisms using its peculiar curved filtering beak. It's easy to spot it in our region in the Mar Menor environment, in natural areas like the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park. You can appreciate this colourful bird at various birdwatching observatories.
08 - Spanish toothcarp (Iberian Lebias)
Endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, this small fish is highly endangered. It's barely five centimetres long and has a stocky body with round fins. In the past, it could be found in the Segura River and in irrigation channels across the area of Huerta de Murcia, but numbers have now reduced; today, it¿s limited to the Mar Menor coastal lagoon and surrounding wetlands, with just a few remaining in the Chícamo River. Both populations show greater genetic variability than those in the rest of the peninsula. Recently, it has also been found in the Rambla Salada area and in the tailwaters of Santomera Reservoir.
09 - Common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon)
The Region of Murcia has significant populations of this unique arboreal reptile, the only one of its family in Europe. It can reach up to 30 centimetres in length and thrives in scrubland, dune environments and coastal pine forests. Found in the coastal foothills of Murcia and Cartagena, its population density is particularly high in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park, the Calblanque Regional Park, and the El Valle y Carrascoy Regional Park. It adapts to other environments and can be found in rainfed tree crops. Numbers are currently increasing in our region.
10 - Rufous-tailed scrub robin (Cercotrichas galactotes)
As elsewhere across the Iberian Peninsula, this species is in decline in our region due to habitat loss caused by changes in farming techniques, particularly the transition from dry farming to intensive agriculture. This is an endangered bird whose breeding pairs are almost exclusively found in the lowlands and dry riverbeds of the Mazarrón and Águilas mountains. It's a bioindicator of a high-quality ecosystem, and it usually moves along the ground and low scrubland in search of insects. It gets its name from its characteristic behaviour of raising and unfurling its reddish tail. Walk calmly and keep your eyes open to spot it.
11 - Trumpeter finch (Bucanetes githagineus)
This small granivorous bird is native to North Africa, but there are small populations scattered throughout specific areas in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands. The Region of Murcia is one of the best birdwatching tourism destinations for this species, typical of sub-desert habitats, areas of scattered scrubland and generally stony soils in ravines and dry riverbeds. It gets its name from the characteristic long nasally sound of its song. Cabo Cope Regional Park, Puntas de Calnegre and the Chícamo River Reserve (SAC) are great places to spot trumpeter finches.
12 - Red-billed chough (Phyrrocorax phyrrocorax)
This mountain corvid, with its shiny black plumage, red legs and red beak, thrives like few others in the most remote areas of the region, dominated by steep, rocky cliffs. It shares its rocky habitat with birds such as the golden eagle, peregrine falcon and eagle owl. There are representative populations in the Sierra de la Pila Regional Park and in the El Valle y Carrascoy Regional Park.
