Protected Area
Identity Card
- Molentargius Regional Park:
- Land Surface Area: 1'622.00 ha
- Regions: Sardegna
- Provinces: Cagliari
- Municipalities: Cagliari, Quartu Sant'Elena, Quartucciu, Selargius
- Establishment Measures: L R 5 05/02/1999
- PA Official List: EUAP0833
- Park Authority: Consorzio del Parco Naturale Regionale Molentargius
- Further managed Protected Areas:
- ZPS Saline di Molentargius
- ZSC Stagno di Molentargius e territori limitrofi
We would like to thank the photographers who kindly provided the pictures:
Giovanni Alvito - aerial pictures
Filippo Melis - fauna
Gabriele De Martis - flora
Molentargius Saline Regional Nature Park
Molentargius Saline Regional Nature Park is situated in Southern Sardinia, in the proximity of two of the biggest cities of Sardinia, Cagliari and Quartu S. Elena, within a urban area populated by approximately 400,000 inhabitants. You can admire this unique area from the summit of Mt. Urpinu, S.Elia, and from Sella del Diavolo, the hills dominating the town of Cagliari and facing the pond.
Before becoming a regional park, the site was recognized by the Ramsar Convention in 1977 as a wetland of international importance for the rich presence of bird species.
The territory includes freshwater basins (Bellarosa Minore and Perdalonga), salty water basins (Bellarosa Maggiore or Molentargius and Stagno di Quartu) and a flat area with mainly dry features (Is Arenas). The presence of areas with different saltiness levels favors a rich variety of vegetal and animal species. The ecosystem of Molentargius represents one of the most important European sites for the stop, wintering, and nesting of several species of aquatic birds. Moreover, the flora is very diversified, with the presence of endemic species and plants included in the "Red List" of endangered species.
(the following links lead to Italian texts)
Fauna
The ecosystem of Molentargius represents one of the most important European sites for the stop, wintering, and nesting of several species of aquatic birds. In particular, it houses the most important Italian and western European nesting colony of Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei), and since 1993 also the Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) has nested here for several years in a row.
Among the protected species at a Community level, in Molentargius there are the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), the Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), the Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), the Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis), the Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), and many others.
(the following links lead to Italian texts)
Flora
The flora is very diversified. It is important to mention the presence of endemic species like Limonium dubium, Limonium glomeratum, Euphorbia pithyusa subsp. cupanii.
Of particular interest some plants included in the "Red List" of endangered species, like those belonging to the genus Salicornia, Halopeplis amplexicaulis and Halocnemum strobilaceum, typical halophytes growing in a few coastal areas, or the Cynomorium coccineum, a parasite plant and unique representative of its genus, growing only in Sicily and Sardinia.
(the following links lead to Italian texts)
