SPM24 El Torcal Natural Park

The students have a chance to walk and talk while on the hiking route in the Natural Park of El Torcal. It is one of the best-preserved karst landscapes in Europe developed in Jurassic, oolithic, brecciated and detrital limestones. The rock formation is wellbedded and cut by a dense, regular fracture system. A relatively small area (20 km2). Students recognize a variety of landforms produced by water and wind erosion whereas underground there exists a labirynth of karst forms: deep shafts, meandering galleries and huge caves. Since 1978 the Torcal de Antequera has been protected as a Natural Park and since 1989 it has become a Nature Site. The park combines a collection of remarkable geological valours and an exceptional biodiversity. It is located in the central area of the province of Malaga, south of Antequera and almost entirely within its municipality. El Torcal is also part of the limestone arc of the Sierras Subbeticas. El Torcal encloses one of the most impressive samples of karstic landscape in Europe. Geomorphologically, it comprises four distinct areas: Sierra Pelada, Torcal Alto, Torcal Bajo, Tajos and Vilaneras. The whole complex is made up of limestone rocks that originated on the seabed, approximately 150 million years ago. Our students hide the rocks and observe the different fauna and flora.

The materials deposited in the sea emerged as a consequence of alpine folding, gradually producing fractures, cracks and fault systems that have given rise to what we call today “alleys” or “corridors”. From this moment on, the complex is subjected to a characteristic process of erosion, the karst modeling. This has given rise to a veritable “museum of natural sculptures”, thanks to a multitude of different forms in the rocks called “imitative forms”, which have earned their individualized recognition, such as the “imitative form”. 

The massif of El Torcal is a geographical area of rich and varied flora. At least 664 species of plants have been found, grouped into almost a hundred families. As for the presence of fauna, on many occasions it has been conditioned by the management of the environment by man. There are many species of invertebrates, mostly insects. The zoological communities lack large predators or large herbivores. The only representative species are the fox and the mountain goat. One of the most remarkable values of the faunal composition is the wealth of birds it hosts, either sedentary or simply as a way station on migratory routes or as a nesting point. In this sense, the sierra has been declared a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA). The reptiles present are highly dependent on thermal factors, so they are fully active in spring and summer, when they can be frequently seen.

The students become very aware of the importance of natural environments in the world around us. Discussing with peers in English/Spanish environmental locations from the different countries. Once again, the students are developing language skills to further enhance communication between nationalities with a difficult physical activity by climbing.