surface with pine trees and eucalyptus. On the other hand, the strong winds with a high content in salt act as barrier in the development of the trees. Some rare and representative coastal species do grow in the dunes, beaches and cliffs under very extreme climatic conditions, as the sea pink (Armeria pungens; in galician herba de namorar or "love plant"), locally endangered, and an important number of camariñas (galician common name for Corema album), an endemic species from the Iberian Peninsula western coast. Typically marshland flora (like rushes) grow in the area of the lagoon. Fauna There is a large colony of seagulls, about 22,000 pairs, and they are the dominant species in Cíes. A census in 1960 counted 400 pairs of Iberian guillemots (Uria aalge albionis), a species now almost extinct on the islands. Other species include birds of prey, pigeons, petrels, pelicans, doves, woodpeckers and other types of bird, which nest in trees and cliffs. Also, there are a variety of birds wintering or resting on their migratory journeys here. In the Alto da Campa (Illa do Faro) and in the Faro do Peito (San Martiño), there are ornithological observatories. The waters around the islands are rich in biodiversity, attracting whales, dolphins, and sharks including blue sharks and basking sharks. Life and seabed The underwater area surrounding the Cíes forms one of the richest ecosystems on the Galician coast. The most remarkable thing is an important forest of brown algae. The perimeter of the islands has different types of environments: the cliffs, exposed to strong waves, are populated by barnacles and mussels. In its underwater part, very rocky, you can find crabs, spider crabs, lobsters and octopuses. On the beaches of the most protected areas there are many bivalve molluscs, as well as turbot, plaice and sole. The rocky but protected areas of the interior of the islands are populated by true forests of anemones and numerous sea urchins. The waters surrounding the Cíes are usually visited by dolphins, whales and sea turtles. The water circulation system that enters and leaves the Galician estuaries and the mixture of fresh and salt water favor the concentration of nutrients and microorganisms that are a source of food for the rest of the marine species. Archaeological remains can also be observed on these seabeds. References Archipelagoes of the Atlantic Ocean Archipelagoes of Spain National parks of Spain Special Protection Areas