Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
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Through UNESCO, Quaternary and Endemism
It has been included since 1997 by UNESCO in the Biosphere Reserve of Ordesa-Viñamala. In the same year it was included in the cross-border Pyrénées - Mont Perdu World Heritage Site because of its spectacular geologic landforms.
Geology
The national park was created to protect the high mountain topography of Monte Perdido and the Pyrenees. The region is dominated by limestone, with karst formations such as karren, sinkholes, and caves. The limestone originated from the Cretaceous and Eocene periods. Tectonic uplift has created deep canyons, and, during the Quaternary, repeated glaciations carved cirques and large U-shaped valleys.
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Climate
The climate is typically Pyrenean. The difference in altitude from 750 meters at the entrance of the Añisclo canyon to 3,355 meters at Monte Perdido, and the orientation of each valley, results in large variations in humidity and temperature between day and night. Thermal inversions that are reflected in the distribution of vegetation floors. There is a variable regime of valley and mountain winds.
Flora
At elevations up to 1,000–1,700 meters, there are extensive forests of beeches (Fagus sylvatica), Abies alba, pines (Pinus sylvestris), oaks (Quercus subpyrenaica), and a lesser extent of birches (Betula pendula), ashes (Fraxinus excelsior), and willows (Salix angustifolia). At higher elevations up to 1,700 meters, the mountain pine (Pinus uncinata) dominates. From 700 to 1,800 meters, bushes of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) are found. In the high meadows from 1,700 to 3,000 meters, there are numerous endemisms including Borderea pyrenaica, Campanula cochleariifolia, Ramonda myconi, Silene borderei, Androsace cylindrica, Pinguicula longifolia, Petrocoptis crassifolia, etc. The edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) is one of the symbols of the National Park.
Fauna
The most important species of the Park was the bucardo or Pyrenean ibex, which went extinct in January 2000 in spite of preservation efforts. The Pyrenean chamois is a type of goat antelope. Other species include the alpine marmot, boar, and the Pyrenean desman or water-mole (Galemys pyrenaicus), as well as raptors like the golden eagle, the bearded vulture, the griffon vulture, hawks, and the Eurasian eagle-owl.
Protected status
Many illustrious persons have been fond of the places in this region and have extolled their virtues. Luciano Briet, Soler i Santaló and Lucas Mallada y Pueyo helped promote the reputation of the region and obtain protected status for it.
An area of 21 square kilometres containing the Ordesa Valley was declared a National Park on 16 August 1918 by a Royal Decree. On 13 July 1982, it was enlarged to its current 156.08 square kilometres, and its official name was changed to Parque nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido.