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Terra Alta
Protected Area for the Management of Habitats or Species
Gallery
With 112 hectares, this protected area constitutes a coastline between the seashore and the edge of the sea-cliff, from the Porto da Baixa, in Ribeirinha, to the Ribeira das Gramelas (stream), in Santo Amaro.
It is characterized by a continuous sea-cliff of high altitude, finding its highest point at about 400 metres, where the Terra Alta Viewpoint is.
Despite the quite rugged morphology, this sea-cliff, once cultivated (vines, fruit trees, taros) by the local people, is now a densely forested scarp with Macaronesian woodland from the coastline to the top of the sea-cliff.
This area is particularly significant for the birds Sterna dougallii, Calonectris borealis and Puffinus lherminieri baroli.
This protected area is also an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) of the BirdLife International organization.