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The National Park of Doņana at sunset.
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN ANDALUCIA
By Fiona Flores Watson
HUELVA
* DOŅANA NATIONAL PARK, known locally as Coto Doņana
Categories: natural landscape, river/lake wildlife habitat, fauna (added to list in: 1994)
" What UNESCO says: "Doņana National Park in Andalusia occupies the right bank of the Guadalquivir river at its estuary on the Atlantic Ocean. It is notable for the great diversity of its biotopes, especially lagoons, marshlands, fixed and mobile dunes, scrub woodland and maquis. It is home to five threatened bird species. It is one of the largest heronries in the Mediterranean region and is the wintering site for more than 500,000 water fowl each year."

What there is to see: Doņana is a 1300 sq km wetland/coastal reserve spread over the provinces of Seville, Huelva and Cadiz. The park, Spain's most extensive wildlife reserve, changes with the seasons; the waters of its marismas (marshes) create temporary islands and sandbanks which draw thousands of breeding birds, especially in spring. It is home to the endangered Iberian lynx, Spanish imperial eagle, Adalbert's eagle, marbled teal and white-headed duck. There are eight visitor centres, three inside the park itself, from where you can see wildfowl, as well as wild boar, deer and, if you're really lucky, a lynx.
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