Doñana National Park.
Information about Coto de Doñana.

Coto de Doñana National Park

The southeast of the province of Huelva by the mouth of the Guadalquivir River is one of the most noteworthy places in Europe, the Doñana National Park, declared as such in 1969 and covering an area of 50, 720 hectares, with a further 54,200 hectares surrounding the area protected as a Nature Reserve.

Doñana, also declared by UNESCO a Biosphere Reserve and Heritage of Mankind, is particularly valuable because of its wealth of marshlands, preserves and moving sand dunes of the coastline. Every year 150 bird species pass through Doñana, the majority of which nest there. There are also 29 mammal species - the wild boar, deer, fallow deer, otter, genet, fox, etc. - 17 reptile, 9 amphibian and 8 fish species which are registered as breeding in the park.

For birds, Doñana is a main stopping place on their migratory routes between Europe and Africa, but it is also a refuge for many species in real danger of extinction, the lynx for example, 40,000 aquatic birds and over 150,000 anatine birds usually spend the winter here, taking advantage of the mild climate. The image of bird colonies - herons, spoonbills - perched in the large, gnarled cork oaks, the noted "aviaries", is world famous, but also a true reflection of what Doñana represents.