Isla de San Andrés

The island of San Andrés is located in the east of Cabo de Gata-Níjar Nature Park, facing La Puntica Beach.

This Natural Monument is emblematic for this coastal village of Carboneras. It is a small volcanic island, covering approximately 1.5 hectares, located very close to the coast. Although at first sight it may appear uninhabited and barren, it is actually home to a wealth of species.

In the crevasses, craters and hollows of the sea bed around it, there are animals such as grouper, cuttlefish, octopus and crab, which spawn and feed on the extensive meadows of posidonia. This plant, exclusive to the Mediterranean coast, does not only provide shelter for marine fauna, but also prevents erosion and maintains the water clean and oxygenated.

On the surface of the island you can see sea birds such as shearwaters, cormorants and storm-petrels. Some, like the yellow-legged gull, use this safe, removed place as their nesting ground.