About Lough Carra

Lough Carra, a Marl Lake in Co. Mayo, Ireland, is an exceptionally rare and important habitat. It forms part of the Lough Carra/Mask Complex SAC, and the Lough Carra SPA, and is one of the finest examples of a Marl Lake habitat in Ireland, and in Europe. It is a shallow, predominantly spring fed lake, well known for its turquoise clear waters and the calcareous encrustations on its rocky lake floor and shores. Its shores are fringed with a complex of limestone and wetland habitats, including Limestone Pavements, Orchid rich Grasslands, and Fens, providing homes for a diverse range of key species including the Lesser horseshoe bat, Eurasian Otter, and Common Gull.