We manage the water features and gardens, not only to enhance their aesthetic appeal but also to protect their wildlife, with a focus on amphibians.
I’m employed by the palace’s management body to study the biodiversity in this vast complex — which has more than 2.5 million visitors per year.
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“TheAlhambrapalace,overlookingGranadainsouthernSpain,isoneofthefinestpreservedexamplesofMoorisharchitecture,datingbacktothethirteenthcentury.I’memployedbythepalace’smanagementbodytostudythebiodiversityinthisvastcomplex—whichhasmorethan2.5millionvisitorsperyear.Wemanagethewaterfeaturesandgardens,notonlytoenhancetheiraestheticappealbutalsotoprotecttheirwildlife,withafocusonamphibians.
Inthisphotograph,takenjustaftersunset,whenamphibiansareactive,I’mcheckingthenumberofIberianribbednewts(Pleurodeleswaltl)inthepoolandassessingtheirlifestages.WhenIbeganworkinghere,onlytwoamphibianspeciesremained;theothershaddisappearedowingtowaterpollution.ThesepoolsarecommonintheAlhambra,butmuchofthewildlifehasbeenlostinrecentcenturies.Now,than
