Fauna and flora

The intense economic use that these mountains underwent in the 19th century- mining, shepherding, coal merchants, wine production, etc. - and the subsequent reforestation of different varieties of pine to provide the Fornes raw material has conditioning the appearance of the forest. As we carry on up, to the high, damp and cold lands, there are remains of the original vegetation: in El Navazo and La Maroma, gall oaks and traditional oaks replace holm oaks, guelder rose and buckthorns, and higher up are the ashlar and yew shrublands, a plant that is rarely seen in the Andalusian mountains. There are also unique specimens, like the Pino de las Cinco Ramas (Five-Branch Pine Tree) (Sierra de Cazulas) or the Mimbreras of the headwaters of the River Cárdenas (Zafarraya). In the periphery, along with olive trees and vineyards, where the arid landscape begins to take over, prickly pear bushes, agaves and windmill palm trees begin to have an important role. There is a large presence of mammals, including mountain goat and genet, but many more birds, with mountain birds, such as the rocky-eagle, Bonelli's eagle, booted eagle, griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture and eagle owl, as well as river birds like dippers and kingfishers. While otter, common trout and crayfish certify the quality of the waters, horseshoe bats and Malacitana Petaloptila crickets highlight the uniqueness of the caves. You may also see Betic midwife toads, an exclusively endemic specicies of these mountains and the massifs between Almería and Murcia.