A census carried out by Adenex in 1994 revealed 6,800 pairs in our region. Its habit of nesting on the ground in crops has made it vulnerable to changes in cropping regimes. A third of the European population, of 1,500 - 2,000 pairs, breeds in Extremadura. Only the Iberian peninsula retains a significant population, much of it within Extremadura. Cranes nested in Spain until the 1950s but are now extinct as breeders.
Extremaduran fish are of exceptional importance due to the high number of endemic species.
Finally, Extremadura is noteworthy for its mammals, harbouring good populations of many species. Its presence gives our fauna a touch of mystery and exoticism which has been lost forever in most other areas of our country. Its situation can only be described as critical, given ongoing changes in its habitats and the marked decline in the Wild Rabbit population. Extremadura has an extremely rich community of bat species. The Polecat It is evident that the exceptional biotic richness of Extremadura comprises a first-rate genetic, scientific, cultural and economic resource.