How big is the island of Menorca?
Since April alone, at least 200 have been captured on the island after being spotted in gardens, dirt tracks and even in the basements of some houses on the island. And although the creatures are not considered dangerous as they are not poisonous, they are still thought to be very aggressive towards humans.
Four species have arrived in Ibiza in the last 15 years. Invasive snakes are now a problem. Horseshoe whip snake, ladder snake, false smooth snake and Montpellier snake species are all thought to have come to Ibiza in ancient olive trees. The snakes were, no doubt, inside the trees.
Macroprotodon cucullatus, commonly known as the false smooth snake, is a species of mildly venomous colubrid snake endemic to the Mediterranean Basin.
Few data on habitat available, but some specimens have been found in forrests in Mallorca. carpathicus species complex in habitat choice, and is also found in and around buildings. Venom: Few medical data available, but data from Italy suggest local effects only.
Geographic range. Lilford's wall lizard is native to the islands of Menorca and Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, the Cabrera Archipelago to the south of Mallorca, and the neighbouring rocky islets. However it has been extirpated from the two large islands and is now only present on the islets.
Tap water is fine heathwise, tastewise perhaps best for bottled water.
The most dangerous animal in Spain is the 'procesionaria del pino' or Processionary Caterpillar !! You and your pet more likely to endanger yourselves by getting too close to an innocent looking line of caterpillars that can be found from December to April of each year.
Menorca's most famous dish is caldereta de langosta (lobster stew), and it is served in most restaurants throughout the island. The lobster is the local spiny lobster, and it is cooked in a tomato, onion and garlic sauce, almost like a soup.
Specialities include seafood stews, lobster, grilled and baked fish and a wide variety of tyical Menorcan cuisine and tapas: shrimps, prawns, clams, mussels, anchovies and squid. They also have an excellent wine selection.
The obvious difference between Menorca and Mallorca, is that Menorca is much smaller. It's also a bit of a hidden gem as its neighbour, Majorca, is much better known internationally. As you can imagine, Menorca is far quieter than its bigger neighbour. Menorca is not as ritzi as Majorca.
Menorca is renowned for its beaches and rightly so, but don't overlook the interior. Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993, the island has a reputation as a botanist's paradise, and in the spring months its rural meadows are carpeted with wild flowers.
There are two different subspecies. That which lives in Menorca is exclusive to the western Mediterranean. Wild tortoises are found only in the Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Menorca, where they were introduced by us, it is not known when.
There are no foxes on Menorca.
It's named to reflect its size
The word "Menorca" is designed to emphasize the fact that the island is smaller than its larger neighbour, Mallorca -- simple as that. The maximum distance between any two points is roughly 30 miles and it's only about 10 miles wide on average.There are more than 1,700 species of spiders in Spain, four of which are potentially dangerous to humans. The Black Widow Spider, Mediterranean Tarantula, Brown Recluse Spider and Mediterranean Funnel Web Spider can all deliver a nasty bite, although none are fatal to humans.
A PACK of bloodthirsty wolves have escaped from a farm in Majorca and are hunting animals and terrifying locals. Six of the wild dogs fled their field in Puigpunyent in the north west of the Spanish holiday island yesterday and have killed and feasted on two ponies so far.
One of the gratifications of Mallorca is that you can actually go on a bear hunt. There are no indigenous bears in Mallorca nor does anyone think that there have ever been. There are a couple of brown bears in La Reserva de Galatzó, over in the South Western part of the Tramuntana mountain range.
Mallorca is a safe destination to visit, but you should use common sense. As with any tourist hot spot, petty theft and pickpocketing is common. Be sure to keep an eye on your valuables and be aware of your surroundings.
No spiders snake or scorpions to worry about. There are snakes on the island, but you are only likely to see these if you go to S'Albufera park. The snakes are from the viper family, but their bite is not poisonous.
Tarantulas spotted in Palma de Mallorca. SEVERAL residents of Palma have alerted authorities claiming to have seen baby tarantulas in a plot of land in the Portitxol area. “The temperature and humidity in Mallorca serve as the ideal climate for the reproduction of this species,” said one of the experts.
No spiders snake or scorpions to worry about. There are snakes on the island, but you are only likely to see these if you go to S'Albufera park. The snakes are from the viper family, but their bite is not poisonous.
The Spanish spelling is 'Majorca', (the 'j' pronounced as a 'y') but the Catalan spelling is 'Mallorca' (the 'll' also pronounced as a 'y)'.
Mallorca (Catalan: [m?ˈ???k?], Spanish: [maˈ?o?ka]) or Majorca (English: /m?ˈj?ːrk?, -ˈd??ːr-/ m?-YOR-k?, -?JOR-) is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The Balearic Islands have been an autonomous region of Spain since 1983.
Police on the Costa del Sol are searching for an unusual fugitive: a seven-foot reptile - believed to be an alligator - that has been spotted in waterways near the popular tourist resort of Mijas. The beast, dubbed locally as the Costa Croc, was first sighted last month near a golf course east of Marbella.
There are some 13 species of snakes in Spain, of which 5 are venomous (shown in red). Seoane's viper lives in Galicia, León, the Cantabrian coastal strip and the Basque Country. The most prevalent of the vipers, Lataste's viper, is present throughout the Iberian Peninsula, though not actually considered to be common.
- Mediterranean Tiger Centipede – Escolopendra tigra.
- Mediterranean Scorpion (Buthus Occitanus - Escorpion Amarillo) :
- The European black scorpion is also present in Spain, preferring more northerly and wetter areas.
- Mediterranean Tarantulas.
- Mediterranean Funnel Web spider.
- Black Widow Spider.
- Brown Recluse Spiders.
Dangerous Spiders in Spain. There are more than 1,700 species of spiders in Spain, four of which are potentially dangerous to humans. The Black Widow Spider, Mediterranean Tarantula, Brown Recluse Spider and Mediterranean Funnel Web Spider can all deliver a nasty bite, although none are fatal to humans.
Macrothele calpeiana, commonly known as the Gibraltar funnel-web spider or Spanish funnel-web spider, is one of the largest and most fierce-looking spiders in Europe.
Snakes are quite common in Spain, it is unlikely to see one as they stay away from people. Of the estimated 50 snakebite deaths a year in Europe, there are only 3-6, which happens in Spain, so do not worry too much. Of these 3.1 occurs in Catalonia where there is the highest risk category.
venomous Asiatic and African elapid snakes that can expand the skin of the neck into a hood.
Cantabrian brown bear. The Cantabrian brown bear or Iberian brown bear (formerly Ursus arctos pyrenaicus) is a population of Eurasian brown bears (Ursus arctos arctos) living in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain. In Spain, it is known as the Oso pardo cantábrico and, more locally, in Asturias as Osu.
The commonest scorpion in Spain is the Mediterranean scorpion (Buthus occitanus, escorpión amarillo or just alacrán) and though its North African cousin is more dangerous, it will still give you an extremely nasty sting. It's sting is short-lived. Scorpions have a bent for resting in your shoes, so be careful.
