Medes Islands

Over the island group is the length of the Meda Gran. The islands are declared as SPAMI (Specially protected areas of Mediterranean importance). Some names of the islands of this archipelago are the Medallot, the Meda Petita, the Ferrenelles, the Gros Tasco, the Tasco petit, and Cavall Bernat.

History

The wrecks have been found to prove that the islands were traversed by man long ago and were often used as a base for pirate raids on the coast. The islands were inhabited until 1934.

The protection of the islands began in 1983 with an Order of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 1985 a resolution mandated standards established in the area were vetoed. In 1990 the islands were integrated into the PEIN, and a law was enacted for the protection and conservation of flora and fauna of the seabed in the Medes Islands and the coast of Montgri, between the Rock and the Point Salines Molinet.

Leisure Activities

In L’Estartit and Torroella presentations and talks are held regarding the natural surroundings. Many companies organize trips on boats with transparent backgrounds, and there are also diving itineraries available.

Terrestrial Fauna

With regard to terrestrial fauna, the climate of the archipelago that separates the Earth’s surface has been a barrier for species having no wings.

There are three species of reptiles: the gecko (Tarentola mauritanica), the Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis hispanica), and the large psammodromus lizard (Psammodromus algirus). There are also house mice (Mus musculus) in the area.

Medes Islands (Illes Medes in Catalan) are an archipelago located in the Mediterranean Sea, made up of seven islands and several islets off the coast of Catalonia (northeastern Spain).

The Islands have an approximate area of 21.5 ha. It has a sea bottom, aided by its proximity to the mouth of the river Ter, which attracts many researchers who study here each year, making this marine reserve one of the most important of the Mediterranean and the largest area of Catalonia.

In respect to the animals with wings, there are 146 species of insects and 60 birds, mostly seabirds. Included in this are the Caspian gull (Larus cachinnans), with about 8,000 breeding pairs from March to May, the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), the common shag (Ph.aristotelis), the little egret (Egretta garzetta), the night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), the grey heron (Ardea cinerea), and many more.

The presence of humans on the islands justifies the existence of alien plant species into the Great Meda: Indian fig opuntia (Opuntia ficus-indica), grape vine (Vitis vinifera), the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), ice plants (Carpobrotus edulis), and many others.

Terrestrial Vegetation

The harsh environmental conditions (wind, water, and low salinity) prevent the Medes Islands in the development of a dense tree stratum. Some trees are the samphire (Crithmum maritimum), the Daucus, the sea lavender (Limonium minutum), the tree mallow (Lavatera arborea), the thistle (Carduus tenuiflorus), and Mediterranean saltbush (Atriplex halimus). The listed trees constitute the bulk of the vegetation and are concentrated basically in the Meda Gran and, to a lesser extent, in the Meda Petita.