Location: Matsalu Bay Map
Area: 486.4 km2 (120,192 acres)
Matsalu National Park is a national park in Western Estonia,
created for the protection of nesting, moulting and migrating birds.
The national park lies within the territory of Lääneranna and
Lääne-Nigula parishes.
The area of the protected area is
486.6 km², of which 224.6 km² is land and 264.0 km² is water.
Matsalu National Park includes the Matsalu Bay, the part of the
Väinamere around its mouth, the lower reaches of the Kasari River
from the Risti-Virtsu road bridge, the coastal reeds of the bay and
the river, the floodplain of the Kasari River, mussel pastures,
wooden meadows and about 50 sea islands, the largest of which are
Tauksi, Liia, Sõmeri, Kumari and Papillae. Other well-known lakes
are Antirahu and Tondirahu.
Matsalu nature reserve was
created in 1957. In 1976, it was included in the Ramsar list of
wetlands of international importance. Since 2004, it has been called
Matsalu National Park and also manages the Puhtu-Laelatu and Nehatu
Nature Reserves and the Lihula and Tuhu Landscape Reserves. Matsalu
National Park also overlaps the Natura areas Väinamere bird area and
Väinamere nature area. Matsalu National Park is also a HELCOM
protected area.
275 species of birds, 49 fish and 47 mammals
and 772 species of vascular plants have been registered in Matsalu
National Park. Among the birds, the most numerous nesters are the
cormorant, the osprey and the herring gull.
Seven bird
watching towers have been created for tourism: Penijõ, Kloostril,
Haeska, Suitsu, Jugasaari, Küdeva and Keemus, and three hiking
trails in Penijõ (5 km), Salevere Salumäi (1.5 km) and Suitsu.
Settlements that are partially or completely in the Matsalu National
Park:
Lääne-Nigula municipality: Allikotsa, Kabeli, Keravere,
Kesküla, Keskvere, Kurevere, Laiküla, Liivaküla, Männiku, Oonga,
Rannajõki, Rõude, Tammiku and Tuka villages
Lääneranta municipality:
Esivere, Keemu, Kelu, Kirbla, Kirikuküla, Kloostri, Kõera, Laulepa,
Lautna, Liustemäe, Matsalu, Meelva, Metsküla, Mõisaküla, Pagasi,
Penijõe, Petaaluse, Poanse, Rooglaiu, Rannu, Saastna, Salevere, Seli,
Ullaste and Võigaste village
Haapsalu city: Haeska, Kiideva, Koidu,
Mäeküla, Puiatu, Puise, Põgari-Sassi, Saardu, Sinalepa and Tuuru
villages
The Matsalu National Nature Reserve included: Penijõe
center (central and adjacent buildings, boat shed, sauna, outdoor base,
residence) — Läänemaa, Lihula parish; Puise cordon — Läänemaa, Ridala
parish; Haeska manor house; Lihula cordon — Läänemaa, Lihula town; Kudri
farm — Läänemaa, Martna parish; Kinga farm — Läänemaa, Ridala parish;
Matsalu manor — Läänemaa, Lihula parish.
Protected breeding
species
little frog eagle Aquila pomarina, shrike Bonasa bonasia,
shrike Botaurus stellaris, black warbler Chlidonias niger, white stork
Ciconia ciconia, reed-barred owl Circus aeruginosus, barred-barred owl
Circus cyaneus, marsh-barred owl Circus pygargus, hornbill Crex crex,
white-backed woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, peregrine falcon Falco
columbarius, kestrel Gallinago media, common crane Grus grus,
white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, red-backed gobbler Lanius
collurio, hornbill Pernis apivorus, little tern Porzana parva, spotted
tern Porzana porzana, little tern Sterna albifrons, tern Sterna hirundo,
sand tern Sterna paradisaea, bush bird Sylvia nisoria, grouse Tetrao
tetrix
Protected migrants
Lesser merganser Anser erythropus,
White-cheeked lapwing Branta leucopsis, Little swan Cygnus columbianus,
Whooper swan Cygnus cygnus, Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus, Common
crane Grus grus, Lake otter Gavia arctica, Red-crowned otter Gavia
stellata, Water plover Phalaropus lobatus, Field plover Pluvialis
apricaria, Red-breasted plover Recurvirostra avosetta, mud tern Tringa
glareola
Other protected animal species
otter Lutra lutra,
toad Bufo calamita, marsh frog Rana arvalis