NATURAL DISASTERS IN SPAIN DUE TO HUMAN ACTION

NATURAL DISASTERS IN SPAIN DUE TO HUMAN ACTION

ANIMAL TRAFFIC INTRODUCTION It is the third biggest bussines in the world after drugs and weapons and it is one of the main causes of the biodiversity loss in our planet. This trade generates 17 billions dolars anually. The traders offer: - live animals to use them as pets - mounted animals as curiosities or award - leather to make clothes RESCUE ANIMALS The majority of animals received in reception and rehabilitation centres arrive in unhealthy conditions because of nutrition or hydration fault, the inadecuate transport, the mix of species in the same jail... The autorities only can choose one of these three solutions: -The euthanasia. -The remittance to some zoos or theme parks. -The joining to a rehabilitation process for a later liberation to its natural habitat.

CONSEQUENCES The animal traffic is a direct threat against the harmony of the natural ecosystems of the country. It is so serious that it is the second reason of the extinction after the loss of its habitat. Many people end up leaving these animals in habitats that don t belong to them and cause a competition between foreign and native species. HOW DID EVERYTHING START? Many people think that the illegal trade of animals is responsability of mafias, but considering percentages, a 10% is zoologicals fault, a 25% collectors and lovers, a 30% biomedical studies. Only a 35% is due to mafias. SOLUTIONS Don t buy any animals! Even if it is out of pity, in one attempt to save them, we re deeping into the problem. Don t consume eggs or meat from wild animals. Make aware your family and friends. Report sellers of wild animals on roads or in pet shops.

THE PRESTIGE INTRODUCTION The oil tanker, Prestige, had an accident in 2002, causing a spill of 77,000 tonnes that covered the Galician coasts of "chapapote". The vessel was sailing near Finisterre when it had the accident. The spill has become the third most expensive environmental accident in history which cost 12,000 million dollars.

IMPACTS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IMPACT ON BIRDS

IMPACT ON TURTLES AND ACUATIC MAMMALS IMPACT ON HEALTH

FOREIGN SPECIES

INTRODUCTION From our Centre we develop some didactic trips, one of them is The Ecological Path to Tajo river. In this route we can observe some foreign species. OPUNTIA TUNICATA AMERICAN ALOE

OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA CONSEQUENCES The introduction of these species has as primordial consequence, the loss of the autochthonous biodiversity. There are foreign species that impede the development of the autochthonous.

RISKS ENDANGERED ANIMALS STAG BEETLE

It is the biggest beetle in Europe Male s size can rise 10 centimetres, including its pincers Females can reach 5 centimetres long. Despite its robust jaws, the stag beetle its completely harmless and it feeds on vegetables. Its horns, that only males have, are used in figths against other males to get the females. The females lay their eggs in holes made in trees. The eclosion takes part in a period of time of about two to four weeks after the egg- laying. THE REASON OF THE ENDANGER As the larvs of this beetle last a long time to raise, they become extremely vulnerable to the trees cleanliness and the parks and gardens pruning. Specially the tidiness of dead wood. This is believed to be the main reason why this amazing beetle seems to be disapearing. A threat can also be its capture for the trade. GRAELSIA ISABELAE

The most spread type of nocturn butterflies in Europe is the isabelae butterfly. Despite its tropical appearing, it only and exclusively lives in some alpine forests in Spain and France. Most time of the year they are hard to see, because they usually hide above the top of the trees, but in May, during the reproduction season, males run long distances at nigth to localize a female, being lead because of its smell. THE REASON OF THE ENDANGER It was endangered because of the fumigation of pine woods some years ago. The phytosanitaries treatments to figth the processionary caterpillar are one of the main causes of their mortality. RIVER CRAB

The river crabs are ten legged crustacean that live in fresh water. They breath by gills that look like feathers and they are found in rivers that do not get frozen, being plentiful where they can hide of predators. The majority of the crayfish do not tolerate polluted water except some types like Procambarus clarkii that are tougher. They feed of animals and living and dead plants. THE REASON OF THE ENDANGER The common crayfish «Austropotamobius pallipes» is a fresh water crustacean very common in Aragón until the end of the 70 s of the past century. The extincion that has been happening since then, is because of the crab plague epidemic, and the loss of the habitats, the pollution and the introduction of exotic species.