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THE LLEVANT PENINSULA
NATURE RESERVE
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Relevant protecting legislation: Nature Reserve (Decree
127/2002 by the Government of the Balearic Islands).
Estates under public ownership: Albarca-es
Verger, s'Alqueria Vella, (1,576 hectares).
Location: In the northeast of the island of
Majorca.
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Physical environment The Llevant Peninsula in Majorca contains
a great diversity of habitats in a relatively small area.
Flora The most noteworthy feature of the vegetation in the
reserve is the large amount of pyrophytic flora, adapted to withstand
or regenerate after fire, since for ages fire was used to renew pasture
land. Although the climate is ideal for holm oak trees these have
kept to the beds of the water courses while throughout most of the
area is covered in a heat loving maquis where dwarf fan palms (Chamaerops
humilis) and reeds (Ampelodesma mauritanica) predominate.
Fauna The colonies of Mediterranean tortoises are of special
interest. Among the bird population, the colonies of cormorants and
Audouin's gulls are prominent, as are the nesting sites in the wetlands
of Canyamel. Of the raptors, it is not unusual to observe Eleanor's
falcons and booted eagles in flight. The sighting of an osprey or
an Egyptian vulture is far less likely.
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The Reserve covers various estates under public ownership which
are the nucleus of the protected area: Les Cases d'Albarca has
12 beds in six rooms. La Casa de s'Arenalet has 18 beds. La
Caseta des Oguers can accommodate 10 people, but it also
has a camping area for up to six tents and thirty people. There
are as many as six different walks for the public through these
public estates at present and they take from 45 minutes to 2
hours. Reservations can be made for the accommodation, and information
about the itineraries is available in the Oficina del Parque
Natural, in the same square as Artà Town Hall: Plaça
de l'Ajuntamenet d'Artà on telephone numbers 971 829
219 or 971 836 828.
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