Natural regional park of Serre

About

The Natural Regional Park of Serre (Italian: Parco naturale regionale delle Serre) is a protected natural area of Calabria, Italy, created in 2004.

Located between Aspromonte and La Sila, it is crossed by two mountain ranges, Monte Pecoraro and Monte Covello, large forests, including the Wood of Stilo ( Bosco di Stilo ), and rivers with waterfalls, including Marmarico Falls ( Cascata del Marmarico ), near Bivongi, and Pietracupa Falls, near Guardavalle.

The park covers 17.687 hectares (43.71 acres) and extends into the provinces of Catanzaro, Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valentia: Acquaro, Arena, Badolato, Bivongi, Brognaturo, Cardinale, Davoli, Fabrizia, Gerocarne, Guardavalle, Maierato, Mongiana, Monterosso Calabro, Nardodipace, Pizzo, Pizzoni, Polia, Santa Caterina dello Ionio, Satriano, San Sostene, Serra San Bruno, Simbario, Sorianello, Spadola, Stilo.

In 2023, the Italian branch of the WWF began a reintroduction of the endangered Mesola red deer, which otherwise survives only in a limited population in the Bosco della Mesola Nature Reserve, starting with the gradual release of fifty deer into the park. Two fawns were born the following summer.

- Cervus elaphus (deer) present only at Villa Vittoria

- Capreolus capreolus (roe deer) present only at Villa Vittoria

- Dama dama (fallow deer) present only at Villa Vittoria

- Ovis musimon (mouflon) present only at Villa Vittoria

- Pavo cristatus (peacock) present only at Villa Vittoria

- Pandion haliaetus (osprey) present only at lago Angitola

- Podiceps cristatus (great crested grebe) present only at lago Angitola

- Aythya nyroca (ferruginous duck) present only at lago Angitola

- Casmerodius albus (great white egret) present only at lago Angitola

- Scolopax rusticola (Eurasian woodcock)

- Oriolus oriolus (Eurasian golden oriole)

- Phasianus colchicus (ring-necked pheasant)

- Picus viridis (European green woodpecker)

- Dendrocopos major (great spotted woodpecker)

- Elaphe quatuorlineata (four-lined snake)

- Hierophis viridiflavus (green whip snake)