Coto Doñana National Park

Coto Doñana National Park

Coto Doñana National Park, national park on the southwestern coast of Spain, at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. A hunting ground for royalty from the 14th century, it was made a reserve in 1963 and a national park in 1969. Its natural habitats encompass some 196 square miles (507 square km) of coastal dunes, succeeded inland by pine woods, scrubland, and the marshland of the Guadalquivir delta. The park is chiefly important as the confluence of bird migration routes between Africa and Europe; including seasonal visitors, nearly half the bird species of Europe can be seen there. The park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994. It has been severely threatened by drought, encroaching construction, agricultural runoff, and toxic waste released into the river from the Aznalcóllar mines in Sevilla.