Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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View across the Nith Estuary, close to the Solway Firth
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 Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve
Location in Dumfries and Galloway
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| Location | Caerlaverock, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland |
| Area | 8,185 hectares (31.60 sq mi) |
| Established | 1957 |
| Governing body | NatureScot |
| Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve | |
Caerlaverock is a special place in Scotland. It's called a national nature reserve (NNR). This means it's a protected area for nature. It covers a huge area of land and water near the Solway Firth. This is about 10 kilometers south of Dumfries.
The reserve is found between two rivers, the River Nith and the Lochar Water. It has many different types of wet areas. These include muddy and sandy shores, salt marshes, and other wet lands. There are also grassy areas next to the land. This nature reserve was first set up in 1957. It was started by the Duke of Norfolk. The reserve is very important for birds. Many thousands of waterfowl and wading birds come here in winter. It covers about 82 square kilometers.
Today, NatureScot helps manage Caerlaverock. NatureScot is a group that looks after Scotland's nature. Even though it's managed by NatureScot, the land is still privately owned. The managers work hard to make sure that people's activities, like fishing and farming, don't harm the wildlife.
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Amazing Wildlife
Caerlaverock is a super important home for many animals.
Birds, Birds, Birds!
Almost all the barnacle geese from a place called Svalbard spend their winter here. That's about 38,000 geese! Many other birds also visit in winter. Over 140,000 wading birds have been counted. These include pink-footed geese, teals, goldeneyes, dunlins, and golden plovers. Thousands more birds stop here to rest during their long journeys.
In the summer, about 45 to 50 different kinds of birds make their nests at Caerlaverock. Some of these are shelducks, common redshanks, curlews, and oystercatchers.
Special Toads
Caerlaverock is also home to a very special animal: the natterjack toad. These toads live in shallow pools on the land side of the reserve. This is the most northern place in the UK where you can find them. Experts believe that about 10% of all the natterjack toads that breed in the UK live here!
Protected Areas
Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve is part of bigger protected areas. It's part of the Upper Solway Flats and Marshes. This area is a Ramsar site. Ramsar sites are wetlands that are important all over the world. It's also a Special Protection Area for birds in Europe. This means it's a very safe place for birds. The reserve is also part of the Solway Firth Special Area of Conservation. This protects special habitats and species. Part of it is also in the Nith Estuary National Scenic Area. This means the area has beautiful views.
The reserve is known as a Category II protected area. This is a way the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ranks protected places. There are other nature reserves on the other side of the Solway Firth, in England.
Visiting Caerlaverock
NatureScot has made it easy for people to visit the reserve. They have built two car parks and several paths. These paths let visitors explore and see the wildlife.
The paths also connect to other fun places nearby. You can walk to WWT Caerlaverock. This is a center run by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. It's a charity that helps protect wild birds and wetlands. You can also visit Caerlaverock Castle. This is an old castle looked after by Historic Environment Scotland.
See also
In Spanish: Reserva natural de Caerlaverock para niños
