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<br>I have seen reports that there are still bears in the Pyrenees, but
very few, a dozen or less. I don't think that there is much chance for
their survival with such a small gene pool. At least one pilgrim has reported
a sighting of bear tracks - in the snow at Somport. See the following URL
and check 30. Stage (Urdos to Canfranc Estación).
<p><A HREF="http://www.hol.nl/private-pages/jp/meine_e.htm">http://www.hol.nl/private-pages/jp/meine_e.htm</A>
<p>regards,
<p>Robert
<p>George Greenia wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>
<br><font size=+0>Not to make anyone apprehensive but I had the really
delightful experience of crossing paths with a wolf on the Camino.
It was when we were biking from Paris to Santiago in June, 1998 and I was
alone for the moment, Tom having fallen behind a couple of kilometers to
take some photos of the Galician countryside just beyond Ligonde and heading
north toward Vilar de Donas. When it emerged from the underbrush
and trotted across the road ahead of me, I thought it was just another
of the large dogs the local farmers keep, but as I kept staring at the
muzzle, lack of collar and lean look I was sure it was a wolf. Looking
pretty lean and dry myself from weeks of biking, it hardly gave me a sidelong
glance before vanishing into a field of tall scrub.</font>
<p><font size=+0>I had pretty much talked myself out of having seen a real
<i>lupus ibericus</i> until we visited a museum of natural history in Santiago
and I unexpectedly crossed paths with a stuffed relative of my lone wolf,
this time in a glass case.</font>
<p><font size=+0>That said, the native Galician wolf, the only species
you'll ever run into on pilgrimage, is a very small wolf and as with most
wild animals more scared of us that we are of them. Wolves, bears,
wild boars and even lions flourished along the Camino in medieval times
but domestic dogs are the only thing to worry about now. If your
water bottle has a nozzle, squirt it into a barking dog's mouth; it will
choke on the water but be otherwise unharmed and back off.</font>
<p><font size=+0>george</font>
<br> </blockquote>
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