Antonio Cano Gea facts for kids

Antonio Cano Gea (1917–1987) was a Spanish naturalist, photographer, and journalist. He was born in Serón, a town in Almería province, Spain, in 1917. He passed away in Almería in 1987. He spent his life studying and protecting nature, especially in his home region.

Capturing Nature: Photography and Expeditions

Antonio Cano Gea became very interested in nature photography in 1948. He loved taking pictures of landscapes and animals. In 1957, he joined the Spanish Ornithological Society. This group studies birds.

Cano went on many trips with José Antonio Valverde. Valverde was the head of the Ornithological Society. They explored places like the Doñana National Park and the Sierra de Cazorla. On one trip, Cano discovered a new type of lizard. Its scientific name is Algiroides marchi. He also spotted ospreys, which are large fishing birds. His photos of ospreys and their nests won him a gold medal. This award came from an international hunting council in Austria.

In 1961, Antonio Cano Gea started working in zoological documentary films. He worked with different media, including Spanish Television. He became a correspondent for the state TV channel. He helped Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente create the famous TV show El hombre y la tierra (Man and the Earth). This show taught many people about nature.

Protecting Nature in Almería

Antonio Cano Gea deeply admired and worked to protect nature in his home region of Almería. He was one of the first people to warn about problems at the Albufera de Adra wetlands. These wetlands, located west of the Almería coast, were rich in wildlife. However, intense farming was threatening them. His calls to protect this area, which is now a Natural Park, were not successful during his lifetime.

He also showed early interest in the Punta Entinas salt marshes. This area is now the Punta Entinas-Sabinar National Park. Cano's ways of studying nature helped José Antonio Valverde in his later research in Doñana.

Cano's most important work began in 1971. He worked with José Antonio Valverde to create the La Hoya Nature Reserve. This reserve was on a farm in Almería city. Cano and Valverde were worried about North African gazelles. These included the dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas neglecta) and the dama gazelle (Gazella dama). They decided to try breeding these gazelles in captivity. This was a new and successful idea at the time. The Spanish Army helped them capture the gazelles in the Sahara Desert.

In 1975, the Nature Reserve became the Saharan Wildlife Rescue Park. This park is very important for breeding and reintroducing North African gazelles. It helps species like Cuvier's gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) and the Sahara aoudad (Ammotragus lervia sahariensis).

Recognition for His Work

Antonio Cano Gea's hard work was recognized by many groups. He was a member of the National Geographic Society. He also received recognition from the WWF / Adena, which are well-known conservation organizations.

See also

In Spanish: Antonio Cano Gea para niños