The short life of the Atlas moth is just one of the wonders of nature to be discovered at the Empuriabrava Butterfly Park, 1,000 square metres of man-made tropical rainforest on the outskirts of Castelló d’Empúries on the Costa Brava. In fact, the park’s name is somewhat of a misnomer; this year they extended the site, building an aviary that now houses over 25 species of tropical birds. Within the aviary the birds are allowed to fly freely around the visitors, so it’s best to come prepared for plenty of ducking and diving (which for most people will be part of the fun, though some might find it a touch disconcerting).
The park, which attracts over 25,000 visitors each year, was opened in 1999 by Bob Genesse, a Belgian entrepreneur who runs the centre with a staff of four. The site was originally farmland, and it took Genesse over six years of repeated applications to obtain planning permission to change its use.
Genesse’s desire to open the park was not just the result of a passion for butterflies, as he explained: “I’ve always enjoyed travelling to tropical climates and had an interest in tropical plants. This work gives me the opportunity to visit Africa, South America, Asia and Australia in search of different species. Butterflies have relatively short lives, so we have to restock regularly. And with over 20,000 species to choose from, there’s plenty of scope for research trips during our closed period from January to March.”
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