The pink miracle at Priolo Gargallo

Published on Thursday, 2 August 2018

flamingos in Priolo - Enel.it

Not only flamingos

At the saltmarshes, which were mentioned by poets of the likes of Virgil and Ovid as well as the historian Thucydides, 216 species of birds have been recorded, about 40% of all those observed today in Italy. Among these is the quite uncommon Caspian tern, the first and only greater sand plover, the only pin-tailed snipe in Europe, and many more.

Furthermore, as shown in a video screened on 25 July at the international conference “The conservation of wetlands in the Mediterranean - A bridge between Europe and Africa,” the fauna of the area has recently been enriched by two other species, never before recorded in the reserve: the marten and the porcupine. The conference, sponsored by Enel, involved the mayor of Priolo Gargallo, Pippo Gianni, and was attended by speakers from many European countries who appreciate the importance of the conservation of coastal wetlands. Enel was represented by Emanuele Silvestri, from the Sicily Institutional Relations Department, and the director of Enel Archimede power plant, Michele Vinci, who underlined Enel’s commitment to continue the “fruitful collaboration” with Lipu and, in particular, with the Saline di Priolo Nature Reserve. 

“My colleagues and I are very happy that maintaining water levels in the marsh, which we have been ensuring for some years now during the summer, contributes to the birth of the small pink flamingos and the protection of this beautiful species”

– Michele Vinci, director of the Enel Archimede power plant

Our Group in Italy is not new to initiatives to safeguard bird biodiversity. Projects similar to the one in Priolo Gargallo have been implemented in Tuscany and Lombrady for storks, while in Emilia we have helped construct nests for hawks. The arrival and reproduction of the pink flamingos, however, is perhaps the rarest and most thrilling visual spectacle, and one that is repeated year after year.

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