Måkläppen, nature reserve in Skåne, Sweden
Måkläppen is a nature reserve at the southern tip of the Falsterbo Peninsula in Sweden consisting of several small sandbanks shaped by wind and water. The landscape features shallow channels and reefs created by storms that have broken apart what was once a continuous sandbank. The area sits on a moraine base but is covered in shifting sand that constantly reshapes the terrain.
The area came under protection in 1902 when the Måkläppen Association leased the land to prevent egg collecting and bird disturbance. A major storm from 1989 to 1990 connected the formerly isolated island to the mainland, allowing predators like foxes and minks to reach the site and reducing nesting bird populations.
Måkläppen takes its name from the gulls that historically nested here. Today it serves as a resting ground where gray seals and harbor seals haul out on the sandbanks to raise pups and molt.
Visitors can explore Måkläppen between November and January when conditions are safest for walking on the sandbanks. Wear sturdy shoes and warm clothing as weather changes quickly, and maintain a distance of at least 50 meters from seals to avoid disturbing them.
A dramatic storm in 2023 reshaped the sandbanks significantly, fragmenting them further into new small islands surrounded by water. This constant evolution through natural forces means the landscape appears noticeably different from visit to visit.
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