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San Javier airport transformed into Mar Menor endangered species habitat
The site of the old Murcia airport will soon be filled with aquariums full of threatened seahorses and shellfish
The now-defunct San Javier airport will soon be put to very good use as it’s set to house the Mar Menor’s endangered species bank, which will rescue thousands of threatened specimens from the saltwater lagoon.
The project has actually been planned since 2018 but the ideal site hadn’t been located until now, and the arrivals terminal is already being transformed into huge aquariums that will allow scientists to study endangered seahorses and shellfish.
Last year, Murcia was reeling from disappointment when the old airport was passed over in favour of Seville to house the future Spanish Space Agency but the regional government isn’t letting the valuable space go to waste.
The degradation of the Mar Menor has drastically reduced the populations of several species, including the narca, seahorse, fartet, sand goby, chirrete, mule needle and little dragon. The University of Murcia, which has kicked off this important project, has already managed to encourage captive breeding in a group of seahorses and is currently trying to ensure the survival of young shellfish born at their facilities.
While the San Javier centre’s main focus is the conservation of native Mar Menor species, the Ministry of the Environment also wants to open it up to tourists who can enjoy the spectacular wildlife while learning a little something about the local ecosystem.
Mayor of San Javier José Miguel Luengo has promised that the interpretation centre will “increase the tourist interest” in the area while serving as a unique research facility.
Once the San Javier terminal has been transformed, a large number of specimens will be moved from the University of Murcia and the new facilities will join a similar project being carried out in Portman Bay in La Union. There, attempts are also being made to recover aquatic plants such as the seagrass beds of the Mar Menor.
Image: Freepik
