Fauna
The fauna in the Alpujarras is diverse with wild boar, ibex, foxes, marten and rabbits. The old washing place near the well is home to a variety of frogs, of which the sound is not to be missed during sunrise and sunset. The house is home to geckos, which are welcome guests since they eat insects. There are many species of insects, like praying mantis, bees and many species of beautiful butterflies, like the swallowtail butterfly.
Birds
Many species of birds are living in the surroundings and can be spotted from our terraces. We see hoopoo’s, several larks species, bee-eaters, swallows and shrikes. Furthermore the Iberian green woodpecker, the gray and corn bunting, the blackcap, the Iberian gray shrike, the black redstart and the European serin have been spotted in the gardens. Each night we hear the cry from stone owls.
Regularly we see birds of prey hovering in the skies, like snake eagles, golden eagles, marsh harriers and griffon vultures.
Flora
Due to the differences in humidity and geology, many species of trees grow in the Alpujarras. In the chalky and dolomitic soils grow many species of wild herbs, like rosemary and thyme.
Almond trees
The agriculture in the area is dominated by almonds, which originated from the Moorish period. In the higher areas there is a lot of reforested pine, preventing erosion and supporting soil and water conservation.
Stone oaks
The pockets with stone oak, some of them with very old trees, are the remnants of the original forests. Especially during the Roman period, many stone oaks were cut and served as fuel for the metal extraction of the locally abundant old mines, where copper, iron and tin were mined. During spring all land is covered with a sea of flowers, like poppies, wild petunia and many more.
The area is a paradise for birdwatchers and hikers.