Press releases

A study led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) concludes that the high mortality of Iberian wolf explains why their population has remained stagnant in recent decades. Reducing the mortality rate of the Iberian wolf is key to improve the conservation status of the species, classified as “Vulnerable” in Spain and “In danger” in Portugal by the UICN

Morales-González, A., Fernández-Gil, A., Quevedo, M., Kramer-Schadt, S., Paniw, M. & Revilla, E. (2026). Resident mortality determines grey wolf range dynamics. Journal of Applied Ecology, 63, e70465. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70465

 The two platforms allow users to explore, visualise and download high-resolution environmental data. Hydromet provides near real-time hydrometeorological information from the Doñana marshes at five-minute intervals, while Meteo Palacio offers access to a historical meteorological dataset spanning more than 45 years of continuous observations.

Researchers from the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) and the University of Milan have identified four new species of tiny blood-feeding flies belonging to the genus Leptoconops, an insect group of importance for public and animal health. The discovery was made during mosquito surveillance campaigns carried out to monitor the presence of West Nile virus across Andalusia.

An international study involving the Doñana Biological Station shows that the wintering areas of the European pied flycatcher are determined by both genetic inheritance and natal environment. The research reveals that all birds, from Spain to Siberia, migrate via the Iberian Peninsula and the West African coast, representing a major detour for Siberian populations. Understanding the links between breeding and wintering areas improves predictions of how migratory species may adapt to climate change.

Lamers, K.P., Ouwehand, J., Ubels, R., Nicolaus, M., Camacho, C., Potti, J. … & Both, C. 2026. Innate factors and ontog-eny determine non-breeding areas of migrant songbirds. Science, DOI: /doi/10.1126/science.ads0532

An international study led by the University of Freiburg, with the participation of the Doñana Biological Station – CSIC, has analyzed wildlife activity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone before, during, and after the 2022 Russian occupation. The results reveal immediate changes in the activity patterns of several mammal species due to military activity, with impacts varying depending on the species and the intensity of the disturbance


Svitlana Kudrenko, Richard Bischof, Andreas Zedrosser, Nuria Selva, Kateryna Korepanova, Denys Vishnevskiy, Martin Gahbauer, Serhii Obrizan, Serhii Domashevskiy, Oleksandr Borsuk, Alona Varukha, Marco Heurich. Changes in wildlife activity patterns in response to war in Ucraine. Science www.doi.org/10.1126/science.aed1493

10.4% of Europe’s bee species are endangered. While honeybee populations are on the rise, wild bees are in decline. The decline of pollinators, such as bees and other insects, is estimated to have slashed global fruit yields by 25% and nut production by more than 20%

A study led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) and the University of A Coruña analyzes the factors that shape Iberian wolf movement. High human population, settlements and roads are the main factors limiting their movements. Vegetation acts as a buffer, providing refuge from these negative effects.

Ferreiro Arias, I., Martínez Rueda, I., García, E. J., Palacios Sánchez, V., Sazatornil, V., Rodríguez, A., López-Bao, J. V., & Llaneza, L. (2026). Human disturbance, prey availability and refuge cover shape wolf movements in anthropized landscapes. Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arag037

The new website allows anyone to explore, compare, and download historical data on the abundance and distribution of waterbirds in the Guadalquivir marshes. The data can be used for scientific, management, or outreach purposes, facilitating population trend analyses and improving understanding of changes in Europe’s largest wetland.

The framework expands the assessment of invasive species impacts beyond native population loss, incorporating how invasions alter ecosystem functioning. The new model, developed with the participation of researchers from the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), can classify up to 19 different types of impact linked to a specific invasion event.


Reference: Laís Carneiro, Daniel Pincheira-Donoso, Boris Leroy, Sandro Bertolino, Morelia Camacho-Cervantes, Ross N Cuthbert, Alok Bang, Jane A Catford, Josie South, Steven J Cooke, Elena Angulo, Franck Courchamp. (2026). Expanding invasive species impact assessments to the ecosystem level with EEICAT. PLOS Biology. In press.

A chance encounter on social media between a researcher from the Doñana Biological Station and a researcher from the University of Murcia led to the discovery of the document confirming the introduction of Italian crayfish into Spain. In 1588, Antonio Ugnano, servant of Grand Duke Fernando transported crayfish, which are mistakenly considered native today, from Tuscany to Madrid. Collaboration between the natural sciences and the humanities is essential to describe what nature was like in the past

Clavero, M., Sempera Marín, A. (2025) Effective cooperation between ecologists and historians for conservation: documenting a 16th century crayfish introduction. Biological Conservation https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111405