The Vouga river, downstream of the Pessegueiro Bridge, is a Site of Community Importance (SCI) as very important for the conservation of migratory fish species like the allis shad, the twait shad, eel, the sea lamprey and the endemic river lamprey. The Vouga is born in the Lapa mountain and ends in Aveiro attracting, with its water and well preserved riparian galleries, an immense lot of biodiversity. From this place to the mouth is a water-free river with a very pronounced natural dynamic that causes rapids, temporary islands, backwaters, beaches and wells. The pit of Santiago is one of these examples, being located under the railway bridge crossing the Vouga river (bridge of Santiago), built at the beginning of the 20th century, being an ex-libris of Sever do Vouga.
The Vouga river has a riparian gallery well preserved, with grey willows, black alders, ash-trees, oaks and elm trees, habitat for many species of flora and fauna. On the river bed we found grey herons, common kingfishers and otters, while on its shores we can observe the lesser purple emperor, many passeriformes and some dragonflies rare and protected, as the river cruisers dragonfly and the orange-spotted emerald dragonfly that, in larval state, inhabit the deeper pits.The Vouga stands out by the presence of migratory fish; it is still a relevant site to the ruivaco, the northern iberian chub, the iberian chub, the portuguese nase and the barbel, many of them endemic to the Portuguese territory. The herpetofauna accounts with many species that here find refuge, as the iberian emerald lizard, the viperine water snake, the fire salamander, the Iberian green frog, the common toad and the common midwife toad.
The Vouga river has been a source of life and wealth for the man since immemorial times. Evidence of this is the recent archaeological findings near the mouth of the Teixeira river, which prove that the human being has already dwelt on the banks of the Vouga 150,000 years ago. For the purpose of fishing and cross the river, human capacity has developed the Bateira (flat bottom boat), simple craft that allows you to navigate the Vouga.
