Sierra de Gredos may hold Europe’s last surviving savanna

A study published in the journal ‘The American Naturalist’ suggests that certain open landscapes in the Sierra de Gredos may be remnants of an ancient European savanna from the Holocene epoch, approximately 10,000 years ago. Led by ecologist Ciro Cabal from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, the research posits that these areas might be the last surviving examples of such a landscape in Europe.

The study focuses on the southern slopes of Gredos, specifically between Candeleda (Ávila) and Madrigal de la Vera (Cáceres). These areas feature century-old oaks scattered among shrubs and grasslands, creating a visual profile similar to African savannas. Researchers suggest that while large wild herbivores once maintained these open landscapes, they were later sustained by domestic herbivores.

Historically, these zones were often undervalued for conservation, viewed instead as degraded lands. However, the research highlights their significant biodiversity. The study also notes that these savanna-type landscapes can act as natural firebreaks, a factor of increasing importance following recent wildfires in the Gredos, La Vera, and Valle del Tiétar regions.