Las Salinas de Santa Pola natural park

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Discover a wetland inhabited by countless birds, animals and plants sitting on the Santa Pola coastline.

With a total surface area of 2,470 hectares, Las Salinas de Santa Pola is a natural park situated on the Santa Pola coastline in the province of Alicante. The wetlands are of international importance, earning them a place on the Ramsar list. A European Directive has also named the Las Salinas a Special Protection Area for birds.

Historically, Las Salinas and El Hondo natural park were part of an extensive wetland area known as Albufera de Elche. Nowadays, Las Salinas comprises salt producers (Braç del Port and Bonmatí), freshwater pools, dunes, beaches and agricultural land.

The diversity of areas in the park have created the ideal habitat for a wide range of animal and plant species. In terms of flora, there is an abundance of marine algae and plants from the amaranth family as well as herbs and bushes, which thrive in the salt areas.

There are also large numbers of birds in Las Salinas. Indeed, there are up to 8,000 flamingos as well as pied avocet, black-winged stilt, red-crested pochard, heron and Montagu’s harrier. Beyond the birdlife, you might be lucky enough to see spint-footed lizards and Spanish toothcarp, a fish endemic to the Region of Valencia.

The construction of salt production sites in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries altered the landscape, creating a successful example of a park that combines both industry and environmental conservation.

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Natural parks