Provinces: Cadiz, Huelva

Declared a Natural Park: 1969 reclassified in 1978

1963 WWF and the Council of Scientific Research bought land (6,794ha) and set up a research station

In 1994 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Park surface area: 50,720 hectares

Total area: 77,260ha: World Heritage and Special Bird Protection Areas: 50,720ha. National Park and Ramsar site; buffer zone 26,540ha.

Points of interest:

Doñana National Park occupies the northern area of the Guadalquivir river where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Six thousand years ago it would have been a wide estuary, but this has mostly been closed off by a long, natural sand bar. This created a large saline lake which gradually collected silt leaving a huge wetland area with lagoons, marshlands, sand dunes and moving dunes. Some lake areas are saline and others are supplied by freshwater streams. Pine and oak woodland plus scrub or maquis further enhance the diversity of one of the most important habitats in Europe. This accumulation of ecosystems is capable of sustaining an incredible assortment of wildlife.

Used as hunting grounds for royalty from the 14th century, it was made a reserve in 1963 and a national park in 1969, and it remains the largest in Europe.

Flora:

A diverse collection of around 750 species of plants exist through the different habitats. There are four main types of vegetation: marshland/aquatic, salt-tolerant, open forest and heathland.

Marsh land types; glasswort (Salicornia ramosissima), seablite (Suaeda sp) and perennial glasswort (Arthrocnemum perenne).

Brackish lagoon types; reeds (Juncus maritimus) and cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora)

Dunes type; European beachgrass (Ammophila Arenaria), Portuguese crowberry (Corema album), buckthorn (Rhamnus), juniper (Juniperus macrocarpa).

Inland dunes; wild olive (Olea europea subsp oleaster), ash trees (Fraxinus angustifolia).

Forest; introduced stone pine (Pinus pinea) and Eucalyptus sp.

Heath lands; tree heather (Erica scoparia), heather (Erica ciliaris) strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo) thyme (Thymus tomentosa,) rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lavender (Lavandula stoechas).

Four national endemics occur each a protected species, Linaria tursica and grasses, Micropyropsis tuberosa, Gaudinia hispanica and Vulpia fontquerana.

Fauna:

Mammals include the highly endangered Iberian Lynx (the closest to extinction of all the big cat species) Wild boar, Red deer, Fallow deer, Egyptian mongoose and European badger.

Reptiles, which are found especially in the dunes, include spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca), Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon), Lataste's viper (Vipera latasti) and spiny-footed lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus). Common fish are carp (Cyprinus carpio) and eel (Anguilla anguilla) plus a threatened species, the Iberian toothcarp (Aphanius iberus).

The site is on the main migration routes between Europe and Africa making it a favorite with ornithologists with as many as 250 species found in the reserve each year. This huge list includes resident greater flamingos, spoonbills and summer breeding little bittern, purple heron with wintering black stork and osprey to name only a few. The park is also home to one of the world’s largest colonies of the Spanish Imperial Eagle.

The best times for birdwatchers are considered to be:

Spring; to see the influx of migrating birds arriving to breed, or rest before continuing their journey.

Autumn; to see the selection of migrating birds that collect to rest and feed before their crossing into Africa.

Winter; when the reserve is topped up by rain water and vast flocks of wildfowl - geese and ducks arrive in Doñana.

The summer months see the wetlands begin to dry and many of the spring visitors depart with temperatures hitting 40 degrees Celsius leaving only the summer residents. Amongst the numerous species are Griffon Vultures, Booted eagles, Red-necked nightjars, Bee-eaters and Hoopoe.

Spanish Imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti), Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris), White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala) and Red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata) are some of the rarities to look out for.

As well as the National Park of Doñana there is also a buffer zone (or pre-park area) around it, which is a designated Natural Park of Doñana (known in Spanish as Entorno de Doñana).

The National Park is under very tight protection, with public access restricted to its visitor centres and some marked footpaths around them.

The Natural Park is less strictly protected with more open access. Being a continuation of the National Park it is also of great importance for migratory and breeding birds.

Research in the Park is of international scientific importance. Ornithological research has been done since the 1950s and studies have since been carried out on vertebrate zoology, botany, ecology, plant ecology, entomology, limnology, geography, ethnology, pesticides and diseases.

Also in the area:

Wood gathering, charcoal production, cattle-grazing, beekeeping and fish farming occur within the Park. Irrigated rice farming and market gardening form the main practices in the surrounding area. There is a religious festival at El Rocio, coinciding with Whitsunday, which brings large crowds of pilgrims every spring.

Information/Visitors Centers:

La Rocina (Information Centre, walks and hides)

El Acebuche (Information centre, café, walk-ways and hides)

Palacio del Acebrón (an ethnological museum)

José Antonio Valverde (water side café/hide and information) road access not well marked!

Sanlucar -Fábrica de hielo (Ice Factory)

There are several companies offering guided tours into certain areas of the park using 4WD vehicles.