Malesanden and Huse Wildlife Sanctuary
The Malesanden and Huse Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the east side of Harøya island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway.
The area received protection in 1988 "to preserve an important wetland area with its habitat, bird life and other wildlife," according to the conservation regulations. The area consists of a low, wide sandy beach that is a nesting, resting, and overwintering site for various birds: waders, the common shelduck, and the greylag goose. Waterfowl and seabirds overwinter to such an extent that it is considered to have national or even international importance. The dunes also have botanical interest, especially the dune heath, which is one of three intact ones in the county.
The Malesanden and Huse Wildlife Sanctuary is a buffer zone with two subareas covering : the Malesanden Bird Sanctuary and the Huse Bird Sanctuary.
The wildlife sanctuary is one of six natural areas that were included in the Harøya Wetlands System Ramsar site, which was established in 1996.
