The natural richness of the province of Almeria is reflected in several protected natural areas:
- One National Park: P.N. of Sierra Nevada, shared with Granada, where we can find mountain goats and wild boar, as well as an abundance of flora, unique in the continent.
- Three Natural Parks: Cabo de Gata-Nijar, declared in 1987 and the first maritime-terrestrial in the country. It is probably one of the last strongholds of virgin coast in the Mediterranean. It has a number of endemic xerophytic plant species and, until a few years ago, was sanctuary to the last monk seals in Europe. Another is Sierra de Maria-Los Velez. It has great areas of pines and populations of the scarce Moorish tortoise. Lastly the Sierra Nevada again, those areas under 2000m.
- There are also five Natural Areas: Alboran, Desert of Tabernas, Karst en Yesos de Sorbas, Punta Entinas-Sabinar and Sierra Alhamilla. The most important of them might be considered to be the first two Natural Areas: The Desert of Tabernas is technically the only desert in the European continent. It is an exceptional ecosystem and its peculiar landscapes have been used by the cinema industry from the beginning of the 60’s. The nearby Karst in Yesos of Sorbas is a complex of caves, canyons and other karstic phenomena carved by the Rio de Aguas in a deposit of gypsum near the village of Sorbas.
- Two natural reserves: Albufera de Adra and Punta Entinas-Sabinar.
- Five natural monuments: Reef of Barrera de Posidonia, Island of San Andres in Carboneras, Island of Terreros and Isla Negra in Pulpi, Piedra Lobera and Sabina Albar in Chirivel.
- And a peri-urban park: Castala in Berja.
- Two other remarkable natural features in the province are the giant olive tree in Agua Amarga, one of the most long-lived in the European continent and the gypsum geode of Pulpi, one of the biggest on the planet.
- There are also several centers of recovery, conservation and study of fauna and flora in the province. Some of them are:
- The Rescue Park of Saharian Fauna in Almeria.
- Botanic Garden of Albardinal in Rodalquilar (Nijar).
- Botanic Garden of Umbria de la Virgen in Maria.
(Adapted and translated from Wikipedia)