Akamas Peninsula National Park

Akamas Peninsula National Park

North of Paphos, along the west coast of Cyprus, is the Akamas Peninsula National Reserve Park. It covers an area of 230 square kilometers, which includes valleys, gorges and wide sandy beaches. As a relatively inaccessible mountainous area, the Akamas is home to an amazing collection of biodiversity. The peninsula of Akamas is the habitat of hundreds of species of animals and plants in a spectacular landscape. This remarkable environment is home to 168 species of birds, 20 species of reptiles, 16 species of butterflies and 12 species of mammals, among them hedgehogs, foxes, shrews, snakes, lizards, Griffon Vultures, Cyprus Warblers, Cyprus Scops Owls and Fruit Bats. The vulnerable species include bats, Monk Seals and sea turtles. Perhaps the most important species are the Green and Loggerhead Sea Turtles, which lay their eggs on the beaches here. There is a turtle hatchery in Lara Bay where the eggs are protected. Two beaches with turtle nesting sites have been designated as Sites of Community Importance within the Natura 2000 network, the Polis-Gialia site has been designated a Special Area of Conservation, and the peninsula has been designated a Special Protection Area for Birds. The peninsula's landscape starts at the coast with its golden sandy beaches and spectacular cliffs, and then rises through the scrub of the dry plains to the mountains, where dense green forests abound. Several gorges have formed in the area, of which the Avacas Gorge is the most famous and draws many visitors. One third of Cyprus' 128 endemic plant species are found here, among them the Cypriot cyclamen, the Cypriot tulip and a number of rare orchid species.