Riserva naturale orientata Oasi faunistica di Vendicari
The Riserva naturale orientata Oasi faunistica di Vendicari is a nature reserve on the southern tip of Sicily in the free municipal consortium of Syracuse . It lies between Noto and Pachino around the mouth of the Tellaro River and is the most important wetland area on the island with 1,450 hectares . Typical are the Pantani , the small lakes in the coastal dunes .
First, a refinery was to be built in this area. After protests by environmentalists, plans for a large holiday complex were developed. With the involvement of international organizations, the area was finally declared a nature reserve in 1977 and a nature reserve in 1983.
In midsummer, the sandy beach south of the Tellaro estuary is a popular bathing resort for the local population. The Torre Sveva , a fortification tower from the 15th century, is worth seeing .
Flora and fauna
In the swampy delta of the Tellaro grow rushes , reeds and sedges . On the marl and sandy soils along the coast you can find myrtle , dwarf palms , juniper , mastic bushes as well as wild fennel and chamomile .
In addition to foxes , rabbits , porcupines and pond turtles , up to 200 different bird species live in the reserve, depending on the season. The area is one of the most important resting places in the Mediterranean for migratory birds . Spoonbills , flamingos , pelicans , cranes and storks can be observed all year round .
The tuna factory (Tonnara)
Because of the proximity of the larger Marzamemi and Capo Passero plants , the Vendicari tuna factory played only a minor role. The first reliable sources go back to around 1600. At the beginning of the 19th century, the plant was in decline, but later benefited from the general boom when the process of improving the shelf life of salts was switched to soaking in oil. In 1884 the company was stopped due to insufficient productivity, but started again between 1914 and 1944. The remains of the processing plant and the fishermen's houses were later restored.
Web links
Coordinates: 36 ° 47 ′ 26 ″ N , 15 ° 5 ′ 27 ″ E