Óbidos Lagoon © Sara Moreira, 2023
Portugal has added Óbidos Lagoon to the List of Wetlands of International Importance, bringing to 32 its total number of “Ramsar Sites”. The Site (no.2580 on the List), located midway along Portugal’s Atlantic shoreline, is the most extensive coastal lagoon system on the Portuguese coast. It holds a high level of biodiversity, with 276 species recorded to date.
The Site supports critical life stages of several species of birds and fish with a high conservation status, including the nationally endangered purple heron (Ardea purpurea), the ruivaco (Achondrostoma oligolepis), which is endemic to Portugal, and the critically endangered common eel (Anguilla anguilla).
Óbidos Lagoon is important for local communities whose livelihoods include fishing and harvesting of shellfish. Many traditional festivals and pilgrimages linked to the wetland are still celebrated annually, making it a cultural as well natural attraction. It is also popular for beach, nautical and nature tourism.
Although the Site is vulnerable to pollution, invasive species and human activities, initiatives such as NGO-led projects and the Interpretation Center for Óbidos Lagoon are actively promoting its protection through research, environmental education and community engagement.
Share