Out of 160 chameleon species, the common chameleon is the only one found in Europe (and outside Africa). This arboreal reptile mainly lives in pine forests and Mediterranean scrub close to wetlands. It is also found in coastal dune habitats among plants in places like the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park, the Calblanque Regional Park, and the Sierra de la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán.
The only natural populations of Cartagena cypress found on the European continent grow in the Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila Regional Park. It is one of our oldest residents. This species of cypress has been growing here since before the European and African continents split, and that was 6 million years ago!
In May 2025, the first Iberian lynx cubs were born in the Region of Murcia following efforts to reintroduce the feline in the Highlands of Lorca, which had begun just a couple of years earlier. These three cubs are the young of Urtsu, a female released in February 2024.
In the Calblanque Regional Park, you'll find a huge fossil dune. It's a large rock formed from sand deposited on the ancient seabed and cemented by shell remains around 100,000 years ago. This impressive formation is a geological heritage site that's also home to animal and plant life. It harbours everything from fennel and sea daisies to pond beetles and spiny-footed lizards. This fossil dune is of great scientific interest, as it allows us to study how the coastline has changed over the last millennia, as well as shifts in climate.
Several salt marshes can be found on our coast, resulting from the action of both man and nature. Ponds and canals make up this unique ecosystem, which has thrived since ancient times thanks to the work of the sun and wind. Water from the sea was pumped with the help of mills, and there are storage, heating and crystallisation ponds. You can find out more about these traditional uses in the Salinas and Arenales of San Pedro of Pinatar Regional Park, or the Salinas of Rasall in the Calblanque Regional Park.
A popular tradition in the Mar Menor is taking mud baths due to their anti-inflammatory, dermatological and other properties. The crystallisation ponds have a salinity similar to that of the Dead Sea! Want to see them up close, Then head to the Salinas and Arenales of San Pedro of Pinatar Regional Park.
Blossoming fruit trees have become a major attraction for ecotourists in the Region of Murcia. A variety of trees, including peach, almond, citrus, apricot and plum, create a vibrant display of colour that brings the fields in places like Cieza, Mula, and the Ricote Valley to life for months. The lavender fields in Moratalla also add to this palette of colours.
The Snow Pits are old ice factories used from the 16th to the 20th century to store snow and sell ice in summer. These cylindrical constructions are ethnographic elements found throughout the highlands of the región at interior. They were made of different materials depending on the area, such as stone, wood, sand, limestone and plaster. Some may also have a roof. The Sierra Espuña Regional Park has 28 snow pits, the most in the Region of Murcia and one of the largest collections in the Mediterranean. These pits once stored up to 25,000 tonnes of ice. They can also be found in other mountainous natural areas such as the Sierra de la Pila Regional Park and the Sierra de El Carche Regional Park. There is also a pit in Sierra de Ricote, although it has yet to be restored.
Oceanic Posidonia is a marine plant that lives on the cleanest beaches in the Mediterranean. It is a crucial species in the marine ecosystem for several reasons: it mitigates the effects of climate by absorbing CO2 dissolved in the sea, while also producing a large part of the oxygen we breathe. It is also a natural filter of floating particles, which is what makes our waters crystal clear, and creates underwater meadows that provide shelter, food and breeding grounds for 1,500 marine animal species. Sand on the beach also benefits, as it is protected by the build-up of dead leaves. But the most mind-blowing fact is that it is the longest-living thing on the planet, it's clones could be up to 100,000 years old!
At least seven species of cetaceans can be found in the sea around the Region of Murcia. The three most common species are the bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin and striped dolphin. Other species are occasionally seen, such as the sperm whale, fin whale, long-finned pilot whale and Risso's dolphin, with the chance of rarer species appearing from time to time.
The first rice to receive a Protected Designation of Origin in Europe (1986) was rice from Calasparra, thus recognised for being a traditional, environmentally sustainable crop of great social and cultural value. There, in Calasparra¿s pioneering rice cultivation area, lies the Sotos Nature Reserve and the riverside forests of Cañaverosa. This exceptionally high-quality rice is a fine example of the Region of Murcia's local produce.
The mighty rocky landscape of Monte Arabí (Natural Monument) harbours prehistoric rock art shelters, declared an official UNESCO World Heritage Site for Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin in 1998. They capture a pictorial tradition dating from between the 6th and 2nd millennia BC.
