Foce del Fiume Simeto e Lago Gornalunga

Area of great interest due to the uniqueness of its environments and its role as a resting and refuge oasis for a rich birdlife. Marsh vegetation and brackish vegetation of flooded lagoons
can be found here. The perimeter of the site includes one of the most important wetland areas in Catania and it hosts the most significant nesting spot for the populations of Anatidae and Ardeidae in Sicily. Among the most relevant species there is the ferruginous duck, which here has the only regular nesting site in Sicily, and the western swamphen, which has been recently reintroduced at the mouth of the Simeto River. Other equally important species have permanently colonized the site in recent years, such as the cattle egret, the gadwall and, since 2004, the glossy ibis. The integrity of natural habitats, from the river mouth to the Ponte Barca reservoir, has remained stable in recent years, with some local situations showing improvements. The herpetofauna is also rich and diversified, including most of the Sicilian species deserving protection. Moreover, the invertebrate fauna is rich in numerous Sicilian endemics and rare and highly localized species.