Muniellos Nature Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Muniellos Nature Reserve |
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| Reserva natural integral de Muniellos | |
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 Muniellos Nature Reserve
Location in Spain
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| Location | Asturias, Spain |
| Area | 5,488 ha (13,560 acres) |
| Visitors | 20 per day |
The Muniellos Nature Reserve (in Spanish, Reserva natural integral de Muniellos) is a special protected forest in Asturias, Spain. It covers about 5,488 ha (13,560 acres) of land. This reserve is famous for its amazing oak trees. Many people say it has the best-preserved oak forest in all of Spain. It's a very important place for nature.
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How Muniellos Became Protected
In the 1970s, people stopped cutting down trees in Muniellos. The forest was then set aside as a place where hunting was allowed. Later, hunting was also stopped to protect the animals.
Today, not many people can visit the reserve itself. This helps keep the forest safe and undisturbed. There is a visitor center nearby where you can learn about Muniellos.
What is a Biosphere Reserve?
In 2000, a group called UNESCO named Muniellos a biosphere reserve. A biosphere reserve is a special place that protects nature. It also shows how people can live and work with nature.
The Muniellos biosphere reserve grew even bigger in 2003. It now includes the Natural Park of Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias. The main part of the Muniellos biosphere reserve is about 8,661 ha (21,400 acres). This is larger than the nature reserve itself. The rest of the natural park acts as a buffer zone. This buffer zone helps protect the core area even more.
Protecting Wildlife Across Mountains
Experts have talked about connecting different biosphere reserves. These reserves are all found in the Cantabrian Mountains. The idea is to create a huge "super-reserve" called Gran Cantábrica. This would help protect even more land and animals.
One of the first places to join this plan is Somiedo Natural Park. Another important reserve in Asturias is Redes Natural Park. Connecting these areas helps animals move freely.
Amazing Wildlife in Muniellos
Muniellos is home to many interesting animals. You can find brown bears and capercaillies here. Capercaillies are large birds that live in forests. There is also a rare type of slug called the Kerry slug.
Helping Endangered Animals Thrive
Connecting the different biosphere reserves is very important. It helps endangered animals like the Cantabrian brown bear and the Cantabrian Capercaillie. These animals need large areas to live and find food. When their homes are broken up, it's called habitat fragmentation. This makes it hard for them to survive.
There are special plans to help these animals. These plans aim to help them spread out more in the Cantabrian mountains. This way, their populations can grow stronger and healthier.
A Special Place for Birds
Bosque de Muniellos (which means "Muniellos Wood" in Spanish) is a very important place for birds. The European Union has named it a Special Protection Area for bird-life. This means it gets extra protection to keep birds safe.
Birdlife International has also called Muniellos an Important Bird Area. This shows how valuable the reserve is for many different kinds of birds.
See also
In Spanish: Reserva natural integral de Muniellos para niños
