The reserve is located on the outskirts of the city of Syracuse and it consists of the Ciane river and wetland of Saline, placed near its mouth. This area, along the Cold River, is the only site where the papyrus grows wild. The River Ciane, whose name comes from the greek Cyanos which means blue, was born in Cozzo del Pantano, in the floodplain of Siracusa, from the sources and heads of Pisimota and Pisima, this one is the main and looks like a pond of water blue, on whose banks grows the papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.ssp.siculus). The River Ciane, after a road of 8 km long, partly natural and partly artificial as a result of numerous human, flows in the Great Harbour of Siracusa. Closer to it there are the Saline, that remained in operation until the eighties, are now abandoned and constitute an important wetland for migratory birds stop. The most important aspect of the flora of the reserve is the presence of papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.ssp.siculus), a typical plant of North Africa, rather rare in Europe, which belongs to the family of Cyperaceae, and has an erect trunk, submerged in its lower part, with a triangular shape, 3 to 6 meters high, which leads to the top with an inflorescence terminating in a spikelet of flowers. This plant is related to the development of writing because its stem was produced by the papyrus paper of the ancient Egyptians. About the origin of the papyrus in Sicily there are two hypotheses: one feels is that it was a species introducted here and then naturalized, the other says it is a native species of this land. Along the banks of the river it is also the common reed (Phragmites australis), the purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), the water mint (Mentha aquatica), watercress (Nasturtium officinale) and sedges (Carex pendula and Carex riparia). The component tree is made up mainly of ash (Fraxinus excelsior) which often, their bark numerous lichens. In the river are the Potamogeton and Ceratophyllum together with duckweed (Lemna minor) and Azolla caroliniana, an alien species introduced a few years ago. The saltpans are plant species adapted to the high salinity such as Salicornia (Salicornia fruticosa), the enula bacicci (Inula chritmoides), the Sueda fruticosa, the wallflower wild (Matthiola tricuspidata), the Obione (Halimione portulacoides) the spiny rush (Juncus acutus) and various species of Limonium. The pre-reserve area has the species of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) planted in the years 50-60. Cold, clear waters of the River Cyane living brown trout (Salmo trutta), along with mullet (Mugil cephalus), turtles (Emys orbicularis) and crab (Potamon fluviatile). The salt marshes are important stopover for migratory birds: herons (AREDA cinerea), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), knight of Italy (Himantopus himantopus), Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus), coot (Fulica atra), teal (Anas crecca), wigeon (Anas penelope), mute swan (Cygnus olor), flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), spatula (Platalea leucorodia), osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). Were also spotted rare species such as the tern Ruppell (Thalasseus bengalensis), the Terek sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) and the Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). Close to the reserve there are (Ixobrychus minutus), moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), the Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus), kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), the reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) and the pendulum (Remix pendolinus).
VISIT AND BOX OFFICE TIME (Tel. 0931. 65201 – 0931. 464255 – 0931. 462452):
for further info please contact the office:Ufficio Turistico Locale, Via Maestranza n. 33 – 96100 Siracusa
Indirizzo: Traversa Testa Pisima – 96100 Siracusa
Coordinate: N 37.042238 – E 15.235304
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