The Isard of Pyrénées

Picture of Bernard Bohene

Rupicapra pyrenaica is the Pyrenean "version" of Oreamnos americanus
In other worlds Isard is our Mountain goat..


Glacier National Park (Logan Pass)

The population of Isards in the French Pyrénées is about 24 000, some herds could reach more than 100 animals, headed by an old female
Males live isolated or in small groups,
they join the females during the rut season (October-November)
Main regulator of the population is winter,
Isards are living from 3 600 to 11 000 feet

After man, the predators of this specie are golden eagle (aigle royal) and red fox catching the newborn Isards (cabri)during Spring and Summer
When the "Cabris" are 2 years old, they are called "Eterlou"

It's so enjoyable to see "eterlous", "cabris"and the others animals of the herd playing after the harsh winter


Isards in "the Galbe" valley (Spring)

For wildlife photographers or hunters, it's very difficult to approach Isards comparing to Bighorn sheeps or Mountain goats
Even if you know where to find groups of them, its often a strenuous approach and they are very elusive
But it's a good deal: The chance to admire Isards is worth the effort..

The Spanish enclave of Llivia

Located 7 miles away from Font Romeu, Llivia is a Spanish enclave inside France!
Spain (city of Puigcerda) is only 2,5 miles away from the city of Llivia.. Andorra is 16,5 miles away

Acreage of the enclave: 3 170 acres
Population: 1 260




History of the enclave:

In the years 1659-1660, the treaty of the Pyrenees ceded to the French crown (Louis The Sixteenth) any territories belonging to Spain, and Llivia was part of these territories

But the treaty stipulated to, that only the villages were to be ceded to France; Llivia as capital of Cerdanya was considered a City..

So Llivia became a Spanish enclave surrounded by French territory!

You can see on the following map that LLivia own lands in the mountain, that's grazing for the cattle and horses of the farmers of Llivia



Foals and Horses in Llivia

Golf opening in Font Romeu

The Golf course is open for a new season..
It's a mountain golf course;
lower elevation: 5910 feet
higher elevation: 6600 feet
Anyway it's a pretty nice nine holes course

Philippe, Marco, Jean Claude and Jean Pierre (shooting)
stay on the Tee of ninth hole

The day after, snow will blanket the course..

Who saw the bear?..

Well; not a lot of people at all! I mean in Pyrénées
In fact it's the only place in France where wild bears are living in their natural habitat
But they are so numerous: About 20 brown bears (Don't lough please) that all have a name! Balou, Franska, Sarousse, Hvala, Boutxi..
Anyway, it's an endangered and protected animal in France and in the years 80 they were close to the extinction. So we've reintroduced brown bears from Slovenia in the years 90 and the last time in 2006 (4 females, 1 male)
They are monitored by the
"National office of Game and Wildlife"


As usual, people in Pyrénées are arguing a lot about reintroduction..
Most of local hunters associations are not very pro bears.. But the most active against the reintroduction are the shepherds who let graze their sheep in the mountain during spring and summer. So the Government help these people to buy trained "White Pyrénées"dogs, called "Patou"; electrical fences and when the worst happens,they get a financial compensation



I'm sure it brings to your mind any articles about reintroduction, delisting..That I read quite every day on New West.net, Billings Gazette etc..

I will give you the opinion of people like hunters, sheperds, agents of National Offices trough next posts in my Blog

Coming back to the bear,they are from the sub specie Ursus arctos vs Grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis), they are smaller in size and weight

I've never seen myself a brown bear from Pyrénées, except during release operation
But honestly, I'm very happy to know that he is living there
When we are hiking or backpacking and we found tracks of a bear (rarely) we feel excited and proud to share the same mountains, the same landscape

When I hike in Glacier or Yellowstone for wildlife and landscape photography, I have to confess that I feel not so confident despite my "pepper spray"
But each time I saw a Grizz or even a black bear, that was really great moments..
I'll talk you about that in other posts

Someone said (an American guy) something like: "Mountain without bears is a mountain without spirit"
I totally agree

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Weather Banners..

"Sierra del cadi" facing Font-Romeu

I wanted to show the weather in Pyrénées-Orientales: Very simple to add that to my Blog
But, what city or village?
I decide to show Font-Romeu, because it's the place where I live most of time

This mountain village (elevation: 5900 feet vs West Yellowstone: 6666 ft or Gardiner: 5311 ft) is a ski resort, but it's the place of:
- A very specialized High School for high level sportive students
- The greatest solar furnace in the world!


So it's a lively place all around the year with about 2000 citizens

I will post interviews of citizens living in Font-Romeu, working as: Manager of the Solar Furnace, Principal of the High School, ski Coach, Farmer..

You can click on a second weather link of Perpignan, the main city of P.O, situated at 7,3 miles from the Mediterranean See

"No country for old men"

Did you heard about "Festival de Cannes" I'm sure you did!
It's like Academy Awards
Yesterday, the brothers Cohen were in Cannes to introduce their new movie: "No country for old men"
I didn't see the movie, but with such a book giving the script, I'm sure they will win an Award in Cannes
Tommy Lee Jones acting in the role of the Sheriff could get the Best Actor Award
Anyway, could I suggest you to read the book; it's one of my top list this year!


By the way, Norah Jones was in Cannes to present a movie! "My Blueberry Nights"
I give you this information not very related to my blog, but Norah Jones is my preferred Jazz Singer..

The very Beginning of Pyrénées..

Cape Cerbère (yellow arrow) is in France

Cape Creus (red arrow) is in Spain (Catalunya)

These points are the very beginning of Pyrénées..

I've taken the picture yesterday 05/18 at 7 p.m, temperature was about 73°
Two hours later, it was snowing at the mountain village (5 905 ft), 49 miles away from this place..
Amazing climate diversity in Pyrénées-Orientales!

At this time, there are not so much vacacionists and we take the opportunity to stay on the beach,which is not to crowded

PYRENEES-ORIENTALES IN BRIEF

The"département"of Pyrénées-Orientales (P.O) is part of the region Languedoc Roussillon

Bordered by the Mediterranean see, Spain and Andorra
Climate is mediterranean but also "Pyrenean" in the mountain part..
Wind is frequent, mostly the Tramontane (North West, able to blow at more than 70 miles/h)
More important, it's one of the rare "départements" in France offering the specificities of high mountains and seaside within 43 miles
The highest peak is "Pic Carlit" (9 584 feet), but the most emblematic peak of this part of Pyrénées is the Canigou (9 134 feet); in comparison, GranitePeak is about 12799 feet high

The size of P.O is: 1 590 square miles vs 147 042 square miles for Montana
So it could be more relevant to compare, regarding size, Montana (State) with the Region Languedoc Roussillon ( 10 570 square miles)

In fact, a "département" in France could be compared to a county, and a "Region" to a State
I'll try in an other article to give you more details..
Just note that Pyrénées-Orientales is exactly the same size as Glacier National Park (1 584 sq.m)

the population in P.O: 412 700 vs 944 600 in Montana
260 persons/sq.m vs 6,44 persons/sq.m

The Main city (Préfecture) in P.O is Perpignan: 117 000 citzens vs Billings: 103 000 and Helena: 30 000

Perpignan: "Le Castillet" castle

I've found these figures in Wikipedia and internet sites of administrations and cities