For the forty -second consecutive year, the anti -racing field that monitors the passage of birds of prey is underway on the Strait of Messina, in fact the Strait is considered one of the 28 most important places in the world for the migration of the Aviphauna, the most important in Europe. The field, promoted by the Mediterranean Association for Nature in collaboration with the WWF Italia and with the German Foundation Stiftung-Pro-Artenvielfall, this year has provided particularly extraordinary data: Over 60,000 migratory birds of prey already registered during the spring crossing on the Messina bank. “Documented numbers – says the WWF – which unequivocally contradict the most calm ones presented by the Messina company to the Via Commission for the bridge over the Strait project”.
The birds of prey (and not only) who cross the Strait largely traveled for thousands of kilometers, from sub -Saharan Africa to northern Europe to head towards the reproductive areas. In the days when the weather was more clemehouse and favorable winds, there were 8,000 passages a day: Falchi Pecchioli, Grillai, Grifoni, Falchi fishermen, real eagles, pilgrims, pale and minor albanelle, the queen’s hawks, cuculi hawks and praise, just counting the birds of prey. “But today – they explain – on this journey he risks placing a further obstacle, that of the bridge That with its structures, its cables, slopes and scaffolding, it will occupy an airspace equal to no less than 75,000 70,000 square meters: A huge barrier on the route of the 327 species surveyed on the Strait. Compared to this, the WWF stressed that the analyzes presented by the Messina company not only were lacking in terms of censuses, but also how they did not take into account determining factors of the crossing such as weather conditions and winds “.