(Barbus meridionalis)

You can find this small fish in the clean fresh waters of the rivers and streams of northern Catalonia and southern France, such as the river Ter. It feeds mainly on larvae and aquatic invertebrates.

This type of barbel migrate short distances to find optimal environments to reproduce, lay eggs and for the growth of larvae and juveniles. It is threatened by habitat degradation, lack of water in drought years and barriers that prevent its movement along the river (such as dams and locks).

Vulnerable

(Lutra lutra)

It is a mammal with a long body that can be up to 1 metre long and weighs up to 20 kg. It is brownish in colour with whitish tones on the tail and belly. It has an interdigital membrane on the legs and a very long and thick tail, which makes it a great swimmer. It feeds on fish, crabs, amphibians, sea lions, baby octopuses, small mammals and invertebrates. It lives in the shallows of the rivers with clear water, and generally it only emerges in the evening and at night.

Near threatened

(Anguila anguila)

This fish  lives in continental waters, feeding on crustaceans, insects, amphibians and fish. European eels have a very special life cycle: the females swim to the sea, where they meet the males and together they undertake a journey to reproduce in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, at great depths (500m or more).

Critically endangered

(Austropotamobius pallipes)

It is a greenish-brown crustacean about 10 cm long (not counting the claws) that lives in rivers with clean and oxygenated waters. It feeds on aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, mollusks and dead animal or plants. The female lays between 50 and 80 eggs, which she keeps under her abdomen until hatching. The crayfish is in danger of extinction due to a fungal disease spread by exotic species of crayfish introduced at the end of the 20th century, such as the American crayfish.

Endangered

(Salamandra salamandra)

It is an amphibian that stands out for its black and yellow coloration, and lives in the forest, near streams of clean water. Adults are completely terrestrial, during the day they remain hidden in burrows and holes and come out at night, especially when it rains or it is very humid. They feed on snails, slugs, insects or other invertebrates. The female carries the eggs inside her and gives birth to larvae in the water, where they live for a few months breathing through gills, until they complete their metamorphosis.

Near threatened

(Alcedo atthis)

It is a small, bright blue bird with an orange breast and a long, pointed bill. It lives near streams, feeding on fish, insects and aquatic larvae. The kingfisher can be observed flying at high speed, very close to the water surface. When it sees prey, it swoops down and dives into the water folding its wings. It lives in environments with clean water and well-preserved riparian forests.

Low concern

(Alnus glutinosa)

It is a deciduous tree present in a large part of the European territory. It can reach 30 meters in height and can be easily identified by its rounded leaves and its flowers shaped like small pinecones. Although it is not a leguminous plant, it does symbiosis with soil bacteria that provide it with nitrogen, essentially for its growth. Alder forests develop in shady, cool and well-watered sites. Its a very interesting habitat for biodiversity and for its ecological functions, such as filtering water or supporting the margins. 

Low concern

(Lilium martagon)

It blooms in July and, with its bright colours, brightens up the mountain forests and meadows and some other wet parts of the sub-Mediterranean area.

Low concern

(Galanthus nivalis)

It is a herbaceous plant of Eurasian distribution protected in our territory. In Catalonia we find it in humid deciduous forests, meadows and rocky landings. It is a perennial plant that forms a small bulb and has two linear leaves and white pendulous flowers that appear in the winter months.

Near threatened