Wildlife Centre

The Pont de Suert Wildlife Centre was born in 1995. It was initially intended for the conservation, awareness and environmental education of the otter. It is currently dedicated to semi-aquatic mammals (otter and European mink, among others). It is located in part of the Pont de Suert fish farm and is a point of dissemination and awareness of the problems of these animals and their habitat. It also carries out research, reproduction and recovery of injured or sick individuals. The Pont de Suert Wildlife Centre was created in 1995 and was initially intended for the conservation, awareness and environmental education of the otter. Currently, it is dedicated to semi-aquatic mammals (otter and European mink, among others).

It is located on the left bank of the Noguera Ribagorçana river, at the confluence of the N-230 roads, from Lleida to Vielha, and N-260, from Pont de Suert to La Pobla de Segur. It was built within the enclosure of the Ribagorçana Fish Centre, which produces common trout for the repopulation of rivers and lakes in Catalonia. Guided tours are very educational and adapted to all types of audiences. The visits are carried out by the educators of the Center.

The main objectives of the centre are:

• The recovery of semi-aquatic carnivorous mammals and captive reproduction.
• Development of the captive breeding program of the western population of European mink, part of the conservation strategy of the species and which depends on its working group.
• The captive reproduction of the native crayfish as one of the previous actions of the recovery plan for the species in Catalonia and maintenance of a stock of crabs during emergency actions (droughts, emptying of canals, etc.).
• Information, dissemination and awareness of the general population on the importance and conservation of river ecosystems and their biodiversity, as well as increasing the knowledge and support of citizens and institutions towards the conservation of European mink, otter, common trout and crayfish, as emblematic species of our rivers.
• The captive reproduction of the Mediterranean common trout and the gradual replacement of the Atlantic common trout by the Mediterranean for restocking.