THE ZINGARO NATURE RESERVE

 The Zingaro Reserve extends in an area of 1650 hectares, with a coast zone of about 7 Kilometers, formed of a rocky coast Mesozoic limestone with numerous creeks and characterized by overhanging cliffs that from a maximum height of 913 meters (Monte Speziale) go swiftly down to the sea.The geo-pedology structure is represented by calcareous Quaternary formations and most of all by Mesozoic reliefs of calcareous dolomitic nature. The morphology of the landscape shows sharp and irregular shapes. The lands which constitute the reserve are the result of both the human activity and the evolution of nature; in fact up to a short time ago every area, even small, was cultivated for agricultural aims. Important for the vegetation is the general climate, determined by an annual average temperature of 19 c° and by a rainfall of 645mm. even if it does not rain, there often are beneficent fog banks on the mountains, coming from the sea and bringing humid local microclimates. Around the northern slopes of M. Passo del Lupo, among others, it is possible to see a beautiful wall of centuries-old plant of ivy-clad and where there are relicts of Holm-oak wood. At the Western limit of the Reserve there also are fragments of Cork-plantation, interesting witness of that Cork forestall formation once widely extended and nowadays almost disappearing in the Western Sicily. Altogether the Reserve hosts almost six hundred species of vascular plants, over a hundred of macro mycetes, briofite, ferns and lichens in full bloomed in Spring. The Board Director is authorized to “orientate” the evolution of the vegetable consortiums.  The Reserve is proud of the Eagle of Bonelli that reproduces regularly by laying one or two eggs; the swift peregrine, the Greek partridge of Sicily that stands here permanently , the buzzard with white coffee wide wings, the kestrel, a dark brown small hawk, the barn owl, the tawny owl, the owlet close the outline of predators. The circling of the seagulls over the water surface, the blue titmouse among the bushes, the cute crest of the hoopoe, the song of the very small wren, that of the bunting and the river nightingale are part of the over 40 permanent birds. Closer encounters are those with the rabbit, the weasel, a small predator, the hedgehog, and at dusk the fox, and only in the night the porcupine, signing its presence with black and white aculeus everywhere. Among reptiles very common is the shining black and the elegant coluber, the horned snake, and the shy viper. Inside the Reserve there is the Naturalistic Museum, the Museum of the Marine Activities, the Museum of the Rural Civilization, where the complete cycle of the wheat is reproduced, and the Centre of the Environmental Education, also two equipped areas and some old rural houses as bivouac.