Fuente de Piedra Lagoon, Natural reserve lagoon in Malaga, Spain
Fuente de Piedra Lagoon is a large, shallow saltwater lake in Malaga province, set in a flat basin with low shores and sparse vegetation. The water is brackish and the lakebed is mostly soft mud, making it one of the largest natural wetlands in Andalusia.
The lagoon was used for salt extraction as far back as Roman times, and this practice continued through the Middle Ages. From the 1980s onward it was classified as a nature reserve and received several layers of international protection, including Ramsar wetland status.
The lagoon is the most important flamingo breeding site on the Iberian Peninsula, which has given it a special place in local identity. The nearby village shares its name with the lagoon, showing how closely the two have been connected for generations.
The area is accessible via marked trails and viewing points managed from a visitor center near the lake. Binoculars are strongly recommended since the birds are often far from the shoreline paths.
In very dry summers the lagoon can almost completely dry out, leaving a wide salt crust across the basin that makes it look like a white desert. Flamingos nest on small mud islands that rise above the water and can only form in this kind of shallow, seasonal lake.
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