Two tourists who were stranded in their off-road vehicle in the Mistras pond in Cabras were rescued and subsequently fined by the Oristano Forestry and Environmental Protection Corps.
Ignoring the restrictions, the tourists had ventured into the lagoon area, becoming stuck in the marshland adjacent to the salt pans. The area is classified as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA), recognized as a site of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, and an integral part of the Natura 2000 network, established by the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC.
The Mistras pond, along with the Cabras pond and the other wetlands of "Pauli 'e Sali and Sal'e Porcus," represents one of the most precious marsh environments in Sardinia, a habitat for numerous rare and threatened species . Mistras is a delicately balanced ecosystem, subject to pressure from human activities.
The Forestry Corps reminds all off-road enthusiasts and tourists of the importance of obtaining advance information on permitted routes: "Unauthorized entry into protected areas not only entails heavy fines, but also serious damage to unique ecosystems, which are essential for biodiversity and the conservation of bird species that use these places for nesting, wintering, or migratory stopovers."
(Unioneonline)
