Gibraltar Nature Reserve

Gibraltar Nature Reserve

The Gibraltar Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar that covers over 40% of the country’s land area. It was established as the Upper Rock Nature Reserve in 1993 under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s category Ia and was last extended in 2013. It is known for its semi-wild population of Barbary macaques and is an important resting point for migrating birds.

Upper Rock Nature Reserve

The Gibraltar Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar that covers over 40% of the country’s land area. It was established as the Upper Rock Nature Reserve in 1993 The nature reserve contains many of Gibraltar’s important natural history sites St Michael’s Cave, with its many stalagmites and stalactites, first mentioned by Pomponius Mela in 45 AD. Concerts are held in its main chamber. Forbes’ Quarry is where the Neanderthal discovery was made in 1848. The Gibraltar skull was one of the first to be found. Neanderthal skulls have also been found at the Devil’s Tower Cave on the North Front. It is possible that some of the last Neanderthals may have made the caves of Gibraltar their home before they died out 30,000 years ago.