Fans of the underwater world will be happy to know that finally also in Italy the first living Red Coral aquarium of the Mediterranean (Corallium Rubrum) has been created, which has obtained the prestigious Friend of Sea international sustainability certification. its kind housed inside the Torre di San Giacomo (also known as Torre dei Cani) of Alghero in Sardinia is certainly one of the things not to be missed for those who plan to visit Sardinia (all the solutions for traveling by ferry to Sardinia).
A unique attraction in Italy:
The Corallium Rubrum more commonly known as the Red Coral of the Mediterranean is an octocoral also present in the Atlantic Ocean in poorly lit environments at about 20 or 30 meters reaching up to 200 meters deep, with a salinity of the water between 28 and 40%. It can even reach 30 cm in height, given the slowness with which it grows and develops (about 3-4 mm per year), Corallium Rubrum is a species of coral considered fragile and therefore protected in some way. Within the Marine Protected Area of Capo Caccia – Isola Piana, the so-called “Coral Cave” has been placed under protection, a particular area where there is a large colony of red corals.
The locality of Alghero also known as the “Riviera del Corallo” boasts an ancient tradition in coral fishing, the red gold of the Mediterranean, in fact here it is possible to find the finest red corals in the world with a typical intense color and a real quality brand “Corallium Rubrum in Alghero”.
The realization of the project of setting up a live coral aquarium in Alghero was possible thanks to the commitment of Davide Simula, coral craftsman and owner of “La Corallina” on the island, together with the Marine Protected Area of Capo Caccia Isola della Piana and the Porto Conte Park. It has been attempted several times over the years to have some live specimens of the fragile red coral survive in the tank without ever succeeding, until now.
In the past, this particular coral was uprooted from its habitat to be collected and used as a material for the creation of artifacts and precious objects. Fortunately, all this is no longer possible due to the irreparable damage caused to the ecosystem of the seas, the collection of coral today is strictly regulated and entrusted exclusively to the so-called “underwater coral”, expert professionals.
Today, this ambitious project aims to raise public awareness of the importance of the sea and its survival. Its uniqueness also lies in the fact that it is the first time in Italy that a project like this has been shared with the public who had the opportunity to admire it on the occasion of the exhibition inauguration which was held on 5 June 2022 and on 7 June allowed the lucky visitors to observe these wonderful corals live together with other rarities such as specimens of black coral and the Ocinebrina Paddeui almost impossible to find and found right in the seabed of the city of Alghero.
Photo Credits:
Photo by Marco Brusdraghi from Wikimedia
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