Matsalu National Park
| Matsalu National Park | |
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| Matsalu rahvuspark | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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 Location of the Matsalu National Park
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| Location | Estonia |
| Nearest city | Lihula |
| Coordinates | 58°45′36″N 23°35′49″E / 58.76000°N 23.59694°ECoordinates: 58°45′36″N 23°35′49″E / 58.76000°N 23.59694°E |
| Area | 486.1 km2 (188 sq mi) |
| Established | 1957 |
| http://www.matsalu.ee/ | |
Matsalu National Park (previously Matsalu Nature Reserve, Estonian: Matsalu rahvuspark, often just Matsalu) is a nature reserve and national park situated in Lääne County, Estonia. Matsalu National Park spans an area of 486.1 km2 (187.7 sq mi), comprising Matsalu Bay, the Kasari River delta, the village of Matsalu and surrounding areas.
Matsalu Bay (Estonian: Matsalu laht) is one of the most important wetland bird areas in Europe, due to its prime position on the East Atlantic Flyway. Large numbers of migratory birds use Matsalu as a staging area. Every spring over two million waterfowl pass Matsalu, of which around 1.6 million are long-tailed ducks.
Matsalu National Park is a home for a number of endangered species, many of which are listed in the Estonian IUCN Red List, including the white-tailed eagle of the highest conservation category, a lot of bird species of the second and third protection categories, 22 strongly protected plant species, the natterjack toad, and ten species of mammals of the second conservation category.
Matsalu National Park covers a total area of 486.1 km2 (187.7 sq mi), encompassing Matsalu Bay along with the delta of the Kasari River and its surrounding areas — floodplains, coastal meadows, reedbeds, woodlands, wooded meadows, and the section of Väinameri around the mouth of the bay, which includes more than 50 islands. 224.3 km2 (86.6 sq mi) of the protected area is terrestrial and 261.8 km2 (101.1 sq mi) is aquatic. Matsalu Bay is shallow, brackish and rich in nutrients. The bay is 18 km (11.2 mi) long and 6 km (3.7 mi) wide, but has an average depth of only 1.5 metres (5 ft) and a maximum depth of 3.5 m (11 ft).Water salinity is approximately 0.7 per mil. Shoreline length of the bay is about 165 km (102.5 mi). The bay's shoreline lacks high banks and is populated mostly with shingle shores, with muddy and overgrown reed in the innermost, sheltered part of the bay.
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