Category: Fauna of Mallorca

Origin
One of the breeds most beloved by the hunters of our isles, it would seem that the Ca Mè comes from a breed of dog originating from the Kingdom of Navarre which then spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula and our Islands, receiving different influences in each place in order to adapt its skills to the hunting needs of each region.

It’s one of the most primitive domestic animals of our islands that are still being farmed today. At present it is the only protected indigenous breed of pig in the Balearic Islands.
 

The Mallorcan hedgehog (the unofficial descendant of the North African hedgehog) is a mammal whose entire body, with the exception of its underbelly, is covered with spines measuring 1 millimetres thick by 2 to 2.5 centimetres long. It can weigh as much as 1,100 grams and grow to between 22 and 29 centimetres in length.

The Common Swift is an insectivore of the Apodiformes bird order which pays visit to our towns and cities over the spring/summer period.

Geographic distribution
The species has four different subspecies, scattered across practically all the world’s continents. The nominal subspecies occupies the Palearctic ecozone, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Chafarinas Islands and central and northern Europe.

In spite of its minute size, the ferreret (Alytes muletensis) caused one of the greatest sensations ever  in  natural research. Until the year 1977 nobody even knew something like the ferreret had ever existed.

CharacteristicsIt is a small, square-shaped dog. The length of its body is equal to its height, and does not exceed 40cm round. It is a very lively dog.

The Majorcan hen is a bold type of bird, elegant, rustic and slow growing.
With a simple, unfolded crest in the hens.
 

One of the problems suffered by certain species of fauna is the use of poison to control the levels of predators in game reserves. This practice is a crime and is considered as a very serious fault by Balearic hunting law.

Distribution
 
Within Spain, they are found exclusively on the Balearic Islands, having been introduced a long time ago from the islands of Corsica and Sardinia.
 

The Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) is a species under serious threat of extinction and is endemic to the Balearic Islands. It is known as the Baldritja on Mallorca and Menorca, and the Virot on the Pine Islands.

The Balearic lizard (Podarcis lilfordi), which does not exist on the island of Mallorca, is the oldest land vertebrate of the Balearic Islands, together with the “ferreret” (Mallorcan midwife toad).

(Testudo hermanni) generally inhabits mountains and areas with Mediterranean vegetation. In Spain, it can only be found in the wild in Catalonia and on the Balearic Islands.

The genet inhabits wooded areas of oak, holm oak, pine or olive trees, with streams and rocky outcrops. Although not an endangered species, its numbers have decreased significantly due to illegal hunting.

The subfossil remains found on the spur Thighed Tortoise (Testudo Graeca), dating between 35,000 and 150,000 years, would confirm the indigenous character of the species in the southeastern Iberian, contrary to what happens in Mallorca (small area in southwestern island), which appear to have been introduced from North Africa.

Habitat
Generally found in woods situated next to open terrain, in Mallorca its shows a predilection for small, generally pine, woods, though in practice colonies can be found in the outskirts of urban centres.

The Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus Monachus) is one of the ten most endangered species of our planet and as such has the unenviable honour of featuring in the top ten list of most endangered species on the planet.
 

OriginOriginating in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, the Mallorcan horse is fairly large, strong and can be used for work. It gave way to, amongst other populations, the Catalan breed and is now extinct.

The wild Mallorcan goat is only found in the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range and Artà mountains.

The goldfinch, a bird 12 cm in height, has a brown plumage with yellow bits on his wings and tail and a red dot on his face. Dearly appreciated for its distinct call, it lives in Mallorca´s Serra de Tramuntana and can be seen in the gardens and orchards inland.

Years ago, the Mallorcan donkey lost the productive definition that had been attributed to him. In earlier times he was particularly important in mulebreeding and was more recenty used as an inexpensive pack animal.

OriginsExperts in the ethnology of animal breeding claim that this kind of bovine stems from the bos primigenius, which came from Egypt to the Western Mediterranean. Previously it spread throughout all of Northern Africa and in the South of the Iberian Peninsula.
 

The origins of the Ca de Bou breed, as in the majority of the antic canine breeds are a somewhat confused. If we look for an origin of our breed, this has to be through the catch or presa dogs that arrived to Mallorca in 1229 with Sir. Jaime I the Conquest.

This is the most spread ovine race on the Balearic Islands. Historically it can be considered a race that lives in different ecosystems, in lowlands as well as in the mountains.

OriginOf all of our islands’dog breeds, this one is the least well-known by dog lovers. According to the data available, it seems that it is a very old, local population, integrated with the group of Mediterranean dogs of Pharaonic origin, and selected for its aptitude for rabbit hunting.

The Balearic Islands are currently home to 7 marine reserves, as well as a Maritime Terrestrial National Park (namely, the Cabrera archipelago). In all of these protected zones, fishing of the European Spider Crab is forbidden and all specimens captured must, by law, be returned to the sea, whether dead or alive.

Although it is hard to determine the ancestors of the “Gavatxut Balear”, it is very likely that this race originates from the Balearic Islands. It stems from crossings between different pigeon races from the Mediterranean coast and races from the islands.