Terras Salgadas, Protected saline area in northwestern Maio Island, Cape Verde.
Terras Salgadas is a protected natural area with broad sand dunes and salt marshes along the northwestern section of Maio Island. The landscape contains distinct habitats shaped by salt deposits and coastal formations.
Salt deposits in this region were mapped as early as 1747 by French hydrographer Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, showing the area's importance was recognized long ago. The early documentation shows these salt features have shaped the landscape for centuries.
Fishing communities in nearby Morrinho and Cascabulho have shaped their way of life around the waters here for generations. You can see how local people continue to work with the sea in ways passed down through their families.
Walking through the area is straightforward due to flat terrain and open space that lets you move easily. Bring water and prepare for changing weather, as the open landscape offers little shelter.
This location holds the largest salt ecosystem in the Cape Verde islands, where salt marshes and volcanic rock formations meet in an unusual way. The combination of these two very different geological elements creates a rare habitat.
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