By David Eade – Costa del Sol News
Officers of Ronda’s Patrulla Verde have stated that every summer many wild animals perish on the tarmac of the Serranía’s secondary roads. The environmental patrols on one recent morning found the remains of a badger, jennet wild cat and a squirrel on the road that connects Ronda with Los Montes de Propios in Cortes de la Frontera.
Juan Gutiérrez, one of the officers who makes up the patrols, explained that the majority of the accidents happened at night. This is the time the wild animals are hunting or looking to drink in the mountain streams. He said the younger animals are less experienced when it comes to the hazards of the roads and tragically are run over.
The Patrulla Verde accepts that the majority of these accidents are impossible to prevent as the driver has no time to react. The death toll is at its highest amongst snakes, owls, badgers, jennets and foxes. Either they are killed outright or suffer such serious injuries there is little chance of recovery.
The wild animals also present a danger to drivers because suddenly they see something in their headlights and in attempts to avoid hitting the creature they can find their vehicle going off the road.
The environmental patrols ask all drivers who use the secondary roads late at night during the summer to take the maximum care for both their own and the wildlife’s safety. The roads are not the only threats to these creatures with electric pylons and illegal poisoning also taking their toll.
LYNCH MOB
The former mayor of Ronda, Antonio Marín, who is now the PSOE spokesperson has denied claims by the new Partido Popular mayor, Maripaz Fernández, that he left the town hall in financial ruin after she called for a State audit. Fernández says debts amount to 30 million euros without any liquidity. Marín says it is all part a campaign to lynch him politically.
EX CHIEF
A new administration comes in at a town hall and officials exit. One is the local police chief in Ronda, José Carrasco. He served with the new mayor Maripaz Fernández when as part of the PA-PP coalition she was the councillor for fiestas. Now seemingly he has lost her confidence and his departure is explained by a need to improve to police service.
PSOE DIVIDED
Divisions have opened up in Ronda’s PSOE over the party losing the mayorship after the recent elections. The party’s local secretary Francisco Cañestro survived a vote of confidence. However there has been anger amongst activists over former PA mayor Antonio Marín being absorbed along with eight of his councillors. This has meant long term PSOE councillors being dumped or moved down the list.
TRACTOR THEFT
Guardia Civil have arrested a man after a tractor was stolen in Pujerra in the Serranía and was later found in Cartajima. The alleged thief is said to have changed the tractor’s colour from blue to deep red and also erased the chassis number. The local man is accused of robbery with force. There have been numerous recent thefts of heavy farm equipment.
CORK HARVEST
This year’s cork harvest is underway. Ronda’s environment department has started its campaign in Los Montes de Propios and expects to collect 7,000 Spanish quintals of high quality oak cork. The municipal plantations run up to the border with Cortes de la Frontera. The town hall expects to bank around 600,000 euros although sales have been hit by the use of plastic corks.
EIGHT YEARS
There are reports the prosecutor has sought an eight year detention term for the 17-year-old youth who is alleged to have murdered María Esther Jímenez in Arriate on January 19. In addition he would be subjected to another five years of supervised detention. He is said to have battered her to death with a four kilo brick but he has pleaded not guilty.
STAY PUT
Ronda is to enlarge its industrial estate by 500,000 square metres in an effort to prevent companies leaving the town. It is an interim measure as once the new local development plan (PGOU) has been passed a new industrial zone and technology park will be created off the El Burgo road. However in the meantime land is being allocated between Torrecilla and Cuco.
