The Fundación para la Conservación del Quebrantahuesos (FCQ) flew around 3.5 tonnes of dog food this summer to livestock guardian dogs in the Picos de Europa According to the foundation, the airlift supplies Mastins guarding sheep and cattle herds on high-altitude pastures in Asturias and Cantabria Many feeding sites, it says, can be reached reliably only by air because of the terrain.
The FCQ says the measure aims to protect the welfare of working dogs and support extensive grazing. According to the foundation, this form of land management helps maintain the cultural landscape and promotes biodiversity in the national park. The food is delivered to farms participating in the Pro-Biodiversidad brand; products bearing the brand, including Lechazo Pro-Biodiversidad, are sold at Alimerka and in stores operated by the Lupa chain.
The FCQ notes that regular helicopter transport bridges logistical gaps during the mountain summer and helps sustain traditional livestock-guarding practices. It is also intended to reduce conflicts between livestock farming and wildlife. According to the foundation, a reliably supplied dog team makes it easier to coexist with large predators and scavengers, and helps stabilise food webs that species such as the Bearded Vulture and the Egyptian Vulture benefit from. In the Picos de Europa, the FCQ has been running a bearded vulture reintroduction programme for years, which has also received support through LIFE Pro Quebrantahuesos .
The current helicopter operation follows similar actions in previous years. According to the FCQ, it is a support measure for working dogs while herds spend the summer on high pastures; it is neither a state delivery nor a regular commercial transport service. The foundation shared details in a statement and through its project channels.
In the Picos de Europa, the interests of grazing and conservation overlap across three autonomous regions. The now-confirmed air transport concerns the Cantabrian and Asturian sides of the mountains. Authorities in both regions have long stressed that well-organised livestock protection, including the use of trained dogs, is central to reducing livestock losses. The FCQ’s current operation puts this approach into practice by ensuring access to food in hard-to-reach terrain, thereby keeping the animals fit for duty throughout the entire summer grazing season.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).