A previous entry on our blog focused on the very important contribution of olive groves to the biodiversity of the areas where they are cultivated. This time, we will focus specifically on the fauna that inhabits them, and in a future article we will cover the equally abundant flora.
Both fauna and flora make the olive grove a strategic crop for the conservation of Spanish and European nature, as it occupies large areas—more than 5 million hectares in Europe, with nearly half of that in Spain. It has been cultivated for thousands of years in close relationship with other species, both plants and animals, since as a tree crop it can create environments very suitable for fauna.
It is also worth noting that the olive tree is mainly found in the Mediterranean basin, the territory with the greatest biodiversity in the European Union, and within it, Spain has the highest biodiversity. In short, the olive grove is an ecosystem where different species live and also acts as a safeguard against desertification.
In olive groves, we must distinguish between species that live there continuously and those that use the area for feeding or passing through. In both cases, it hosts notable faunal diversity, especially birds, as well as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Birds
In a study conducted by the University of Jaén, with the participation of scientists from SEO Bird Life of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the presence of 165 bird species was confirmed in Mediterranean olive groves, representing more than a quarter of all species in Spain. Twenty-six of them are threatened, two are endangered—the Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin and the Great Bustard—and one, the Spanish Imperial Eagle, is critically endangered.
Listing them all would be practically impossible and would require an entire treatise, so we will focus on the most abundant and easily observed species, both nesting and wintering. Some of these include: European Greenfinch, Common Chaffinch, Sardinian Warbler, Robin, Song Thrush, House Sparrow, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Firecrest, Nightingale, Crested Lark, White Wagtail, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Cuckoo, Bee-eater, Shrike, Treecreeper, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Eurasian Collared Dove, Red-legged Partridge, Quail, Bustard, Wood Pigeon, Bonelli's Eagle, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Eagle Owl, Tawny Owl, Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Hoopoe, Stone Curlew, Raven, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, and Common Chaffinch, among many others.
In addition to the birds that live and nest permanently in our olive groves, we must also include wintering birds from central and northern Europe that arrive in Spain during autumn—estimated at more than six million—which feed on olives. If we also consider those that use the olive groves to nest during spring and summer, the total exceeds ten million individuals in southern Spanish olive groves.
Mammals
In Andalusian olive forests and other Mediterranean riparian areas, common mammals include Rabbit, Hare, Hedgehog, Fox, Badger, Common Bat, Mole, Red Vole, Field Vole, Edible Dormouse, Garden Dormouse, Ferret, Genet, Egyptian Mongoose, Brown Rat, Black Rat, House Mouse, and Field Mouse. In some areas of Jaén, especially near the Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, the Iberian Lynx has been observed, gradually recovering from the risk of extinction, with evidence of lynxes breeding among the olive trees.
Amphibians and Reptiles
In the wetter areas of our olive groves, amphibians include Common Toad, Green Toad, Green Frog, Common Newt, and Salamander. Reptiles include Ladder Snake, Horseshoe Snake, Water Snake, Montpellier Snake, Common Lizard, Agile Lizard, Green Lizard, Common Wall Lizard, and European Pond Turtle.
Insects
Up to 119 pollinator insect species and 58 ant species have been detected in Andalusian olive groves, one of which may have been considered extinct in the Iberian Peninsula since the 1960s. These pollinators play a key role in the olive grove ecosystem, as demonstrated by an experiment in which solitary bees transported pollen from over 70 different plant species associated with olive groves to artificial nests.
Benefits for Extra Virgin Olive Oil
From an environmental perspective, the benefits of this rich biodiversity are undeniable. From the perspective of EVOO producers and consumers, one may ask whether this diversity can contribute to higher quality oils. Indeed, it has been proven that factors such as soil fertility, erosion control, and pest and disease management improve olive grove profitability and added value. All of this is enhanced by olive grove biodiversity, which must be preserved to ensure the quality of our Extra Virgin Olive Oils, combining the highest quality with environmental respect, economic profitability, and generational succession, thus supporting sustainable rural development.
