The Sierra de la Culebra is a 95 km long regular mountain chain of medium height, forming a natural border with the Portuguese region of Tras os Montes on its western end. Its slopes are wooded, occasionally ravaged by forest fires. The summits of the range are often covered with snow in the winter and there are odd-looking rocky quartzite outcrops on them.
Among the rivers in Spain and Portugal having their source in Sierra de la Culebra, the Castro River, Tera, Tuella, Sabor and Maçãs (Manzanas), deserve mention.
These mountains are famous as one of the few remaining strongholds of the Iberian wolf.[2]
The Sierra de la Culebra is a southeastern prolongation of Sierra Segundera, at the southern fringes of the Macizo Galaico-Leonés. The western prolongations of Serra de Montezinho or Maciço de Montesinho, Sierra de la Gamoneda (Portuguese: Serra da Gamoneda) and Sierra del Marabón (Portuguese: Serra de Marabón) are part of the Sierra de la Culebra mountainous system. Other subranges are Sierra de las Cavernas, Sierra de los Cantadores and Sierra de las Carbas, located on the Spanish side.
One important feature is the Rock of the Three Kingdoms dividing three ancient Iberian kingdoms in the Serra de Marabón subrange.[3]
Natural reservesedit
On the Portuguese side the area of the Sierra de la Culebra range is included in the Montesinho Natural Park.
The Reserva de Caza de la Sierra de la Culebra, is a national hunting forest reserve on the Spanish side. Controversially, the wolves are protected in the reserve in order that they may be shot by sportsmen on payment of a fee of several thousand Euros. This process is defended on the grounds that it helps pay for the upkeep of the reserve and thus the protection of the species as a whole.[4] The number of wolves authorised for hunting each year in Spain is strictly controlled, the auction being carried out in Villardeciervos, but many more are shot illegally.[5]
In the Sierra de la Culebra reserve, wolves may occasionally be observed when attracted to a bait-station, known locally as a Muladar, where remains of dead horses and donkeys are put out for them.
On the Sierra de la Culebra reserve there is a healthy population of the wolves' main prey species - roe deer, red deer and wild boar. The presence of the carcasses put out for the wolves also attracts spectacular raptors such as the griffon vulture.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sierra de la Culebra.
Conocer Zamora
Sierra de la Culebra (in Spanish)
January 01, 1970
sierra, culebra, serra, coroa, portuguese, mountain, range, castile, león, northwest, spain, northeastern, portugal, lies, south, puebla, sanabria, comarcas, aliste, sanabria, carballeda, zamora, province, well, vinhais, bragança, municipalities, district, bra. The Sierra de la Culebra or Serra da Coroa in Portuguese is a mountain range in Castile and Leon northwest Spain and northeastern Portugal It lies 7 km south of Puebla de Sanabria in the comarcas of Aliste Sanabria and La Carballeda Zamora Province as well as Vinhais and Braganca municipalities in the District of Braganca Its highest point is 1 243 metres 4 078 ft high Pena Mira located near Flechas within Figueruela de Arriba municipal term other important peaks are Mino Cuevo 1 211 metres 3 973 ft and La Pedrizona 1 054 metres 3 458 ft 1 Sierra de la CulebraSerra da CoroaSierra de la Culebra from afarHighest pointPeakPena MiraElevation1 243 m 4 078 ft Coordinates41 53 54 N 6 20 01 W 41 89833 N 6 33361 W 41 89833 6 33361DimensionsLength95 km 59 mi ENE WSWWidth32 km 20 mi NNW SSEGeographySierra de la CulebraLocation in Portugal and SpainLocationVinhais and Braganca municipalities District of BragancaZamora Province Castile and LeonCountriesPortugal and SpainParent rangeMontes de LeonGeologyOrogenyVariscan orogenyAge of rockOrdovicianType of rockSlates The Sierra de la Culebra is a 95 km long regular mountain chain of medium height forming a natural border with the Portuguese region of Tras os Montes on its western end Its slopes are wooded occasionally ravaged by forest fires The summits of the range are often covered with snow in the winter and there are odd looking rocky quartzite outcrops on them Among the rivers in Spain and Portugal having their source in Sierra de la Culebra the Castro River Tera Tuella Sabor and Macas Manzanas deserve mention These mountains are famous as one of the few remaining strongholds of the Iberian wolf 2 Contents 1 Subranges 2 Natural reserves 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksSubranges editThe Sierra de la Culebra is a southeastern prolongation of Sierra Segundera at the southern fringes of the Macizo Galaico Leones The western prolongations of Serra de Montezinho or Macico de Montesinho Sierra de la Gamoneda Portuguese Serra da Gamoneda and Sierra del Marabon Portuguese Serra de Marabon are part of the Sierra de la Culebra mountainous system Other subranges are Sierra de las Cavernas Sierra de los Cantadores and Sierra de las Carbas located on the Spanish side One important feature is the Rock of the Three Kingdoms dividing three ancient Iberian kingdoms in the Serra de Marabon subrange 3 Natural reserves editOn the Portuguese side the area of the Sierra de la Culebra range is included in the Montesinho Natural Park The Reserva de Caza de la Sierra de la Culebra is a national hunting forest reserve on the Spanish side Controversially the wolves are protected in the reserve in order that they may be shot by sportsmen on payment of a fee of several thousand Euros This process is defended on the grounds that it helps pay for the upkeep of the reserve and thus the protection of the species as a whole 4 The number of wolves authorised for hunting each year in Spain is strictly controlled the auction being carried out in Villardeciervos but many more are shot illegally 5 In the Sierra de la Culebra reserve wolves may occasionally be observed when attracted to a bait station known locally as a Muladar where remains of dead horses and donkeys are put out for them On the Sierra de la Culebra reserve there is a healthy population of the wolves main prey species roe deer red deer and wild boar The presence of the carcasses put out for the wolves also attracts spectacular raptors such as the griffon vulture There are also small colonies of Vipera latastei and Coronella austriaca which perhaps gave the mountains their name Gallery edit nbsp Sierra de la Culebra seen from Tuizelo on the Portuguese side nbsp The border between Spain and Portugal on the road that crosses the western fringe of Sierra de la Culebra in Vinhais municipality nbsp Map of the Natural Reserve at Rihonor de CastillaSee also editMontesinho Natural ParkReferences edit La Sierra de la Culebra Tras la cuna del lobo Signatus Penedo dos Tres Reinos The Rock of Three Kingdoms Iberia Nature Wolves Iberia NatureExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sierra de la Culebra Conocer Zamora Sierra de la Culebra in Spanish Ayuntamiento de Tabara Turismo La Sierra de la Culebra Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sierra de la Culebra amp oldid 1192826650, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
