Iñurritza, Protected biotope in Zarautz, Spain

Iñurritza is a protected biotope declared on 25 February 1997, covering the estuary of the Inurritza stream and the coastal strip on both sides of it in Zarautz, Gipuzkoa. Its dunes, salt marshes and cliffs form a small mosaic of habitats, and the delimitation includes the golf course. The land belongs to the municipality of Aia.

This zone was officially protected in 1997 when regional authorities recognized that this coastal stretch was vital for animal and plant life. The decision was part of a broader effort to safeguard natural areas across the Basque region that was gaining momentum at the time.

The biotope's name comes from the Inurritza stream that forms its estuary. The protected area includes the Zarautz golf course, whose fairways interrupt the dune vegetation and prevent it from growing freely, a conflict between recreation and conservation that visitors can see on the ground.

The biotope lies on the eastern edge of Zarautz, formed by a stretch of the beach, the Inurritza stream and Mount Talaimendi; the golf course marks its northern side. Access is on foot from the town, and the dune area north of the golf course is the rarest habitat to look for. Storms in January and March 2014 caused notable damage here.

The biotope holds one of the few remaining dunes in the southern Basque Country, just north of the Zarautz golf course. The golf club itself is cited as one of the main pressures on the site, since it prevents dune vegetation from growing freely. Storms in January and March 2014 caused notable damage here.