The eagle and the owl are just some of the species that nest within the boundaries of the Aspromonte national park. A presence that indicates how this habitat is crucial for the conservation of biodiversity.
The honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), the golden eagle (Aquila crhysaetos) and the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) nest in the Aspromonte national park. A presence of the utmost importance in terms of biological diversity and for the conservation of the southernmost mountain environments in Europe.
The eagle and the eagle-owl, in particular, are considered flagship species, capable of drawing the general public's attention to conservation issues. They are also defined as umbrella species, meaning their presence guarantees the protection of other species lower down the food chain.
These are some of the results achieved by the monitoring carried out within the Aspromonte national park last year, research conducted to assess the distribution and conservation status of the raptors' emblematic species. "We knew the golden eagle was present, but we didn't know the precise number. Today four pairs nest here," explains Giuseppe Martino, naturalist and official park guide. "They have a territorial range of around 70 square kilometres, which would suggest the presence of abundant trophic resources in the area."
The golden eagle is closely linked to the presence of the rock partridge (Alectoris graeca), a bird typical of mountain areas, today considered vulnerable by the Iucn Red List. "The rock partridge population in Italy accounts for 25 per cent of the total European population," Martino points out. "Here in Aspromonte, between 25 and 60 pairs nest. These are still low numbers, demonstrating a deterioration of habitats." Hours and hours of monitoring among the steep slopes of the Ionian-facing side of the Aspromonte massif have made it possible to photograph and observe the raptor in flight, as well as to identify its nests.
But it is the confirmed presence of the eagle-owl that surprises researchers. "After two years of monitoring we know there are at least 11 nesting pairs," Martino recounts. "An extremely high number for southern Italy." The last recorded sightings dated back to the end of the nineteenth century, and this monitoring is therefore of enormous importance, given that this nocturnal raptor is absent from Sicily and Sardinia and consequently reaches here the outermost limit of its Italian range.
At least 30,000 individuals migrate to Africa passing through Aspromonte. Among these are the honey buzzard, the marsh harrier, the black kite, the osprey and the lesser spotted eagle. Indeed, the particular geographical position of this mountain massif rising up in the Mediterranean represents a true "bridge" towards Sicily, and hence towards Africa, for a great many bird species, and in particular for so-called "soaring" raptors, which prefer to glide towards southern latitudes with minimal effort.
And it is here that the most significant moments in the life of the emblematic migration species — the honey buzzard — were captured on film for the first time. Proof of the fundamental role of a protected area in the conservation of unique habitats, capable of providing refuge and hospitality to species that have chosen to live at the very tip of our Boot.