- Location: an island in the Baltic Sea, flax Gotland
- Area: 44.9 square meters. km
- Year of foundation: 1909
The national park of Gotska Sunden is located on the island of the same name in the Baltic Sea. A small land area of 40 square meters. km is not of particular interest from the point of view of nature, since a significant part of it is occupied by sandy beaches and ordinary coniferous forests. But it seems so only at first glance.
Geographical features of Gotska Sunden
Gotska Sunden is located 38 km from the famous Swedish island of Gotland and not far from the islands of Foret and Nuneshamna. Surprisingly, the area of the park is larger than the area of the island by 5 sq. Km. km, because it still belongs to the coastal zone, which is inhabited by large marine inhabitants. The very coast of the island consists of long sandy beaches and dunes. This was noted by the ancient ancestors of the Swedes, who gave him the name of Sunden. It is translated from the local dialect as "sand island".
What is interesting about the Gotska-Sanden National Park?
The island is completely covered with pine and birch forests, in the same place grows ashberry, hazel, aspen, yew. Among these well-known plants there are rare specimens, for example, the Gotland orchids, which grow only on the island of the same name and the neighboring small parts of the land.
The pride of the national park fauna is the gray seals that inhabit the shores of Gotska-Sunden. On the information boards you can read information about these animals, find out where they are now and whether they can be seen. If the animals are somewhere near the shore, then the excursion led by the guide goes there on local transport so that tourists enjoy watching the rare animals.
The island is home to many hares, which are the main representatives of the land terrestrial fauna. There are no other mammals on the island. But there are several types of insects, well-behaved among a variety of plants.
How to get there?
Excursion groups go to the reserve from the islands of Foro and Nyuneshamna by boat. About the schedule of excursions can be learned directly on the islands: it varies depending on the season.