The Lagoas de Santo André and Sancha Natural Reserve, with 5,265.51 ha, is the largest lagoon system on the Alentejo Coast and is classified as an important area for European birds, included in the list of special protection zones under the Birds Directive and is also considered a RAMSAR Site – Wetland of International Importance.
Classification as a Protected Area in August 2000 had as its main objective the conservation of the high ecological value of these two wetlands and their surrounding areas. It also aims to protect the surrounding dune complex and the adjacent maritime strip that is home to a characteristic marine fauna.
It constitutes a valuable ecological heritage in which birds constitute the most important faunal group as the reserve is located in an important migratory corridor, presents a diversity of resting places and abundant food resources. The list of observed bird species exceeds 270, and it is common to find concentrations of several thousand water birds, such as the red-billed duck, the coot, the dwarf tern and the flamingo.
There is a bird observation and ringing center in the middle of the Reserve.
Of the ichthyological fauna, that is, fish, in the Santo André lagoon, the European eel and the common green eel stand out, a species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and rare in Portugal.
Floritically, the reserve is quite rich and diverse, with 510 species of vascular plants distributed in 79 families identified. The vegetation is essentially formed by species tolerant to the prolonged period of flooding and salinity and includes reedbeds, rushes and willows in the lagoon areas, together with plantations of maritime pine and Atlantic scrub.
This coastal zone is characterized by aquatic and riverine ecosystems influenced by fresh and brackish waters, including small areas of marshes, willows, reeds, reeds, swampy heaths and humid pastures.
The variety of the plant mosaic, the diverse topography, the presence of water levels, the proximity of the sea and the light itself confer an evident landscape interest to the set.
Source:https://natural.pt/protected-areas/reserva-natural-lagoas-santo-andre-sancha?locale=pt