Ministry to auction off livestock from the Albufera Park

The Balearic ministry of the environment plans to auction off calves, foals and buffaloes from the Natural Park of S'Albufera in the north of the island. There will be one lot of 17 calves of the Majorcan breed of cow, all less than three years old, one of five Camargue foals between one and three years, and five buffaloes aged three and four. Starting prices are 570'000 ptas, 220'000 ptas and 250'000 ptas respectively. Preference will be given to buyers interested in the entire lot, although offers will be accepted for individual animals. Ministry sources said that a similar auction was held in 1998, although no buffaloes were sold on that occasion. The purpose of the sale is to maintain a stable population of animals in the park. The ministry keeps all the females, the studs and young males which may prove to be good stud animals in the future. The date of the auction has not been announced, but it will be within the next few weeks. The Albufera is best known for its bird life, which attracts bird lovers from all over Europe.