The Kunë-Vain-Talë-Patok-Fushëkuqe-Ishëm Nature Reserve is a nature park located within the Lezhë County forming the Drin river delta and facing the Adriatic Sea in northern Albania. It spans an area of 43.93 km2 (16.96 sq mi). The area is the first protected area to be established in Albania as a hunting reserve in July 1940. The current nature reserve was established in 2010 encompassing the Kunë Island, the Kunë-Vain lagoon, the woodlands, and several ecosystems. Notably, it has been also identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
Kunë-Vain Lagoon
Beach within the nature park
Kunë-Vain Lagoon
Biodiversity of Albania
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For a small country, Albania is characterised by a considerable wealth of terrestrial and marine ecosystems and habitats with contrasting floral, faunal, and fungal species, defined in an area of 28,748 square kilometres. Most of the country is predominantly of Mediterranean character, comprehending the country's center and south, while the alpine affinity is more visible in the northeast.
The Albanian Alps represent a major geomorphological part of Albania. It is the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps, which extend along the Adriatic Sea from the Julian Alps in the northwest down to the Albanian Alps in the southeast.
The Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea coastlines are dotted with many ecosystems of an immense significance such as rocky coasts, lagoons, wetlands, sand dunes, river deltas, hydrophilic and hydrophobic forests.
The forests of Rrajcë and Gashi River are part of the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the extraordinary value of these forests.
The main lagoon banks and islands of Patoku are covered by salt marsh scrubs.