Natural Park of S'Albufera de Mallorca

Parks and Nature | Alcúdia

A large part of s'Albufera (1,700 hectares) conserves its natural characteristics intact, which make it a privileged place to be with an important environmental worth because it has remained relatively undisturbed for a long time period. Natural Park of s'Albufera de Mallorca S'Albufera de Mallorca is a wetland area, of approximately 2,580 ha with a perimeter of 32 kilometres, embracing part of the municipality of Alcúdia, Muro and sa Pobla, and has had extraordinary economic and ecological importance in this zone of the island. It is important not to confuse this lagoon, known as the big one, with the small lagoon at Pollença. A large part of s'Albufera (1,700 hectares) conserves its natural characteristics intact, which make it a privileged place to be with an important environmental worth because it has remained relatively undisturbed for a long time period. It is necessary to point out, however, that on the 3rd of November 2000 a fire destroyed a total of 450 ha of the area, 440 ha of which belonged to the Natural Park. Luckily, it wasn't the nesting season and the ecological consequences haven't been too devastating. In the spring of 2001 it will be possible to enjoy a total recovery of the affected area. Here, the main vegetation is the canyet and the cesquera plants, which were formerly used on the island for, amongst other things, feeding livestock. During the months of summer, the sea water floods into s'Albufera, which during the rest of the year is nourished by fresh water running from the high ground. This causes salted earth. In these lands saltworts and rushes grow, but also it should be noted that so do elm trees, tamarisks and albàs. The fauna that inhabits s'Albufera is as diverse as abundant. Counting only birds, there are about 230 species that live, nest or spend some time in this protected natural space. Of the ones that nest, it is important to highlight the coot, the cap-blau, the suís, the avisador and sedge-warble. However, there are also many migratory species which stop only to rest, such as flamingos or the limícoles, and also those who spend the whole winter such as ducks, herons... In the wetland areas, fish such as eels, sea-pechs, silverfish, amphibians and reptiles are also abundant. With the arrival of mass tourism in the sixties, the landscape in the region of s'Albufera was dramatically altered along the coastal area, when large spaces were built on and lakes and canals were constructed around the hotels and apartment blocks. To put a halt to this process and preserve the richness of the biggest wetland area of Majorca, the Balearic Government approved, in 1988, the creation of the first Natural Park of the Balearic Islands, with a total of 1,700 ha protected. Also, the area was declared ZEPA (Bird Special Protection Zone), and a Biosphere Reserve. Also, s'Albufera is included in the Ramsar treaty for the protection of wetlands.