Liam Kirkaldy (Reporter)
A NEW natural history book will trace the steps taken by two 19th century British naturalists in order to tell the changing story of the Iberian peninsula’s wildest areas.
The book, A Guide to Wild Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar, has been written by local authors Geraldine, Stewart and Clive Finlayson, and includes original text and photos produced by two Gibraltar-based Victorian naturalists – Lt Col. Howard Irby and Lt. Col. Willoughby Verner.
The authors followed Irby and Verner’s route to gather material for the book, which they say shows how Britain opened up the peninsula’s beauty to the world.
It also examines changes to the area’s wildlife, and though some cases are tragic, the book also contains some success stories – animals that have continued to thrive since the days of empire, such as the Griffon vulture, which still thrives around Gibraltar today.
The book took four years to write and includes stunning photography of the Iberian landscape, from the Rock of Gibraltar to the Pyrenees, along with the wildlife it contains.
