Picos de Europa

A brown livestock guarding dog within a flock of sheep.

Picos de Europa

Case Studies | Spain

Introduction

For centuries, the western slopes of the Picos de Europa have witnessed a remarkable coexistence. In the Asturian municipalities of Onís and Cangas de Onís, shepherds and their flocks have shared the mountains with one of Europe's most iconic predators—the Iberian wolf. This enduring relationship has shaped not only the landscape, with its patchwork of alpine pastures and Atlantic forests, but also a distinctive cultural heritage built on traditional pastoralism. Today, this heritage lives on in products like the PDO Gamonéu cheese. The territory uniquely blends conservation—as part of the Picos de Europa National Park—with a vibrant rural identity that remains deeply connected to pastoral farming.

A herd of cattle is walking up a small street in a beautiful and mountainous landscape.

OVERVIEW

Municipalities

Onís and Cangas de Onís.

Geographical size

The area spans approximately 290 km².

Human population

The 2 municipalities are home to approximately 7,050 residents.

Number of livestock farmers

Around 222 livestock farmers, including hobby farmers and smaller holdings.

Livestock farming systems

Extensive mountain grazing with seasonal transhumance. Most farms are pure beef operations, though traditional mixed herds of cattle, sheep, and goats remain.

Wild large carnivore species

The wolf and brown bear (historically present, rarely today).

Wolf population

Around 44 wolf packs in Asturias, with 4 packs residing within the Picos de Europa National Park.

SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXT

Onís and Cangas de Onís are located in eastern Asturias, a mountainous territory with an altitudinal range from 80 m in valleys to >2,000 m at the limestone peaks of the Cornión Massif. The climate is humid oceanic, with 1,000 – 1,200 mm of rainfall annually and frequent snow at higher elevations. Much of the southern area belongs to Picos de Europa National Park, a Natura 2000 site.

Historically, the local economy was rooted in livestock and forestry, with more than 60% of employment in Onís being in the primary sector during the early 1990s. Cangas de Onís, which has a larger population, has diversified into commerce, construction, and tourism, and now serves as a regional service hub. Tourism has become the dominant sector in Cangas de Onís, with almost 1.8 million visitors attracted to the Picos de Europa National Park in 2022. Though seasonal, it provides vital employment supported by a dense network of rural lodgings and hotels. Cangas de Onís also holds symbolic importance as the first capital of the Kingdom of Asturias, home to heritage sites including the Roman bridge and Covadonga sanctuary.

Pastoral culture remains central, exemplified by Gamonéu cheese, an artisanal cheese made from raw cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk. The small mountain communities are facing an ageing population and rural depopulation. Social life revolves around pastoral traditions, especially Gamonéu cheese production, which sustains family cooperation and a sense of local identity. The region balances preserving traditional rural mountain life with adapting to new economic and social dynamics.

Gamonéu del Puertu cheeses undergoing the smoking process, in a traditional cheese dairies located in alpine pastures. The process is a key step that gives the cheese its distinctive flavor and preservation qualities.

A group of cattle walking up a green mountain.

FARMING CONTEXT

Pastoral farming is extensive, relying on seasonal transhumance between valley pastures in winter and alpine pastures in summer. The shared grazing of cattle, sheep and goats shapes the open landscape and maintains biodiversity. Cattle farming is predominant, with the Asturian local breeds, Asturiana de la Montaña and Asturiana de los Valles, being the most common. Sheep and goats are mainly associated with the production of Gamonéu cheese. Farms are small and family-run, often by aged farmers over the age of 55.

Main Challenges:

Ageing farming population and low generational renewal.
High production costs, low profitability, and dependence on CAP subsides.
Predation by large wolf and related emotional or administrative burdens.
Sanitary and animal health regulations, particularly tuberculosis and brucellosis.
Additional pressures arise from EU agricultural policy and land-use regulations linked to the Natural Park.

LOCAL CONFLICT ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE CARNIVORES

Number of attacks:

The presence of wolves causes recurring damage to cattle, sheep, goats and horses. According to official figures, 3,256 livestock animals were confirmed to have been killed by wolves in Asturias in 2023.
The number of casualties in the area has remained stable over the past 15 years. Significant losses have been recorded in mountain grazing areas, such as the Picos de Europa National Park, where extensive and scattered herds are highly vulnerable.

A cute and young live stock guarding dogs is laying in e fenced pasture surrounded by goats.

A flock of sheep is grazing on a green mountain pasture.

Social conflict:

Emotional and psychological stress among farmers: Feelings of frustration, fear, and helplessness are widespread.
Perceived insufficiency of compensation systems: Payments are perceived as slow, incomplete, or unfair, and as not fully reflecting real losses on the ground.
Many attacks remain unregistered or unconfirmed due to the rugged terrain the removal of evidence by scavengers.
Limited effectiveness or feasibility of preventive measures: Guard dogs and electric fences are often unsuitable in extensive mountain systems, with terrain and costs limiting feasibility.
Rising polarisation and tension between social positions: Tensions go beyond material damage, mirroring broader societal divides between control oriented and protection oriented approaches.
Conflict intensified after legal changes: prohibition of lethal control (2021-2025) and new management authorizations (2025–2026).

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.