Oasi di Sant'Alessio is a zoological park most of zoochatters probably never heard of. We could consider it the Italian answer to Walsrode: in fact this "oasis" hosts many different species of birds, including hummingbirds, hornbills and even cocks-of the- rocks (they bred last year, but I don't know if at the end the baby survived). It was also one of the first (if not THE first) parks in Italy to believe in wildlife reintroduction, and in fact since its foundations many species of birds (such as egrets or storks) have been reintroduced in the wild (there is even a heronry inside the actual park). Others animals aren't neglected either: there are a couple of Przewalski's horses, otter, some reptiles/amphibians and a noteworthy collection of both fishes (includig sturgeons) and butterflies. Exhibits seem pretty good (in particular the COTC aviary), although I never visited the park and so I can't give a personal opinion of it One of the most recent developments was a particularly big, well-planted aviary for both hummingbirds and butterflies. Oasi di Sant'Alessio also seems a nice spot for birdwatching, being very green and full of vegetation and marshes.
Comparing it to Walsrode is like comparing any average local zoo with San Diego. It have some rare and interesting birds, and I know it from years ago for have helded Wilson's and Magnificent bird-of-paradise (I suppose they don't hold them anymore), but Walsrode have thousands more species of rare and interesting birds.
Obviosly I'm not saying they are one the same level, because nothing (at least in Europe) is really comparable to Walsrode. Still Sant'Alessio hosts a bird collection far better than the ones in other Italian zoos. There are not many parks in Europe that have birds of paradise, cocks of the rocks, motmots and other rare species, in every case.
I'm going there next week hopefully. Not sure about the Walsrode comparison, Walsrode is in a league of its own, worldwide I think. But the Oasi does have very incredible species for such a small size collection. I am curious about what other species of hummingbirds are kept as the website lists a few precise species (Carib, Amaziilia hummingbirds) and a very generic "Hummingbird", let's hope for some surprises.
Let us know that you think! Also from the website I saw that Green throated hummingbird and Peruvian sheartails are signed, but I think it's a bit outdated.
I'm calling them tomorrow to ask if all the birds are on-show and if they have a very recent species list. If I get something out of the phonecall I'll update
I visited yesterday. Had a great time, met the owner, really interesting man who loves what he does and has been in the zoo world for a while. He opened the Oasi in 1973 and is still running things first hand. He also does the Bird show with his son, where he talks you through the flying bird species and the conservation job done and to be done in Italy. It ends with a flock of spoonbills, species they're working on bringing back into the region. The park itself is great, a simple very natural looking family-run zoo. The collection is amazing although 4 out of the 6 hummingbirds species are off-show and the Wallcreepers are gone. Exhibiting is overall good, some stand out like the Andean cock-of-the-rock + Diademed tanager exhibit (very green and nicely done in term of landscaping) or the very good water level tunnel, that gives you viewing on the different Grebes at eye-level, allowing to see the birds on the water and while it's diving. Almost forgot the Hummingbird - Butterfly exhibit, which is nice even in Autumn, but probably looks better with Butterflies in warmer months. I don't have any pictures of the exhibits, reviewing it would be a bit boring but if anyone has questions I'll gladly answer. A zoo I recommand visiting, for the collection, the overall atmosphere and the reintroduction work they've done in Italy. I will definitely go back in Spring.
The biggest part of their work has been with White storks, 700 of them leaving the Oasi in 30 years. Black-winged stilts have also been reintroduced at a big scale, 250 in 20 years. They were the first to reintroduce Peregrine falcons, using the methors developped at Cornell University (not sure what these methods are to be honnest). They claim to be the first place who bred Common kingfishers in captivity, and they are reintroducing some of the specimens. They have bred 50 European spoonbills, reintroducing 22 of them the first time on the lake Sartirana. Since then created a second flock and the third one is forming at the Oasi di Sant Alessio. In 1997 they freed a group of Glossy ibis, who nested on the Oasi ground for about 10 years before naturally moving to the lake Sartirana. Other species that are bred and reintroduced mentionned on their website are : Little grebes, European kestrels, Pied avocets, Eurasian hoopoes, European bee-eaters, many species of wild ducks, Greylag geese (which they release every 2 years), European squirrels and Eurasian cranes. And Luca Bronzi mentionned their work with Grey herons. Most of these informations I got from the website, if you speak italian better than me maybe you'll understand some more details.
Well I can't provide any details as it's part of the species where they don't give much info about. I believe the Cranes and other species listed like this are/were occasional reintroductions. Maybe @Luca Bronzi might understand better than I the link I provided ?
I never heard of rentroducing cranes, but I wouldn't be surprised if the oasis started to breed them to release them. There are already cranes in Italy, in every case.
Do you really have breeding cranes in Italy? I know about a few pairs breeding in southern Bavaria, in northern Austria, south Slovakia, northwestern Hungary and northern France. But Italy would be a bomb.
Anybody knows how to contact this zoo? I will be in the area next week and would love to have a peek behind the scenes at the hummingbirds, especially.
Hi Jurek7, I will be there probably at the beginning of May and also tried contact them via mail days ago but with no successmayby it will be worth try it via facebook. But from what I have heard, the chances to visit bts area is almost zero
It's not almost, it is zero I believe. The backstage Hummingbird collection is more than private. I have met the owner in the past, not even him goes there often. There is one dedicated keeper and that's it, no one else goes there.
That isnt true..ive been there with Harry the owner in the past year. At the time it was all being re-built and most of the hummingbird collection was kept at another breeders. Now it is complete it might be ,as you suggest,that it is ultra private in order not to disturb the birds. It all looked rather like the breeding area at Walsrode if youve ever seen that. Even if hummingbirds are not possible there is much to admire at this lovely little zoo.
