An area of the Valencia region will soon be protected as a national park, according to plans unveiled by the Spanish government.

The Sierra de Escalona, which provides a home of large number of rare animal species, will become Valencia’s first national park when it is established later this year, Homes Worldwide reports.

Maria Angeles Centeno, director general for the management of the environment, stated that the Sierra currently contains one of the largest populations of wildcat in the country, as well as a significant number of the Bonelli’s eagle.

The area’s new status as a national park will prevent major building projects in the area and ensure that the animals’ natural habitats are maintained, according to the website.

IberiaNature.com states that there are only about 1,000 pairs of Bonelli’s eagles in the whole of Europe, with 750 of these found in Spain.

Tags: Alicante, Costa Blanca