Environmentalists demand Salgados Lagoon Natural Reserve

Environmental associations are calling for the urgent creation of the Salgados Lagoon Natural Reserve following the deaths of various animals in the Alcantarilha stream in Silves. The deceased animals include fish, crabs, and protected bird species such as spoonbills, black ibises, herons, and ducks.

Activists attribute these deaths to high water temperatures and low oxygen levels. They argue that current management is reactive and limited to emergency interventions. The proposed reserve would cover more than 400 hectares, spanning from the Alcantarilha stream in Silves to the Salgados Lagoon in Albufeira, aiming to provide integrated protection for wetlands, dunes, and surrounding agricultural areas.