Located to the north-west of the center of Fagagna, the oasis is classified as a protected natural area and is included in the European Natura 2000 network as a Site of Community Importance (S.C.I.). The area, once marshy, owes its name to the pools artificially created whith the excavation of clay, and covers an area of 100 hectares. Characterized by a complex mosaic of natural environments, it is possible to observe submerged plants, floating plants and shreds of hydrophilic wood with willows, black alder and oaks.
An experimental station for the reintroduction of the white stork has been established here and also hosts a colony of hermit ibis. Currently, the oasis is home to about eighty white storks and twenty to forty chicks are born here every year. The hermit ibis is an animal from the same family as the stork and is at high risk of extinction despite being a protected species for years; in Fagagna the colony today has more or less 150 individuals. At the Oasis there are also some examples of konik horses (unique in Italy), direct ancestors of the tarpans, Eurasian wild horses now extinct.
Curiosity: the Hermit Ibis
The hermit ibis was one of the first animals to become a protected species: it was, in fact, the Archbishop of Salzburg, in 1504, who issued a decree prohibiting anyone, except nobles, from killing these birds. However, this decree was not very effective, as the hermit ibis soon became extinct in Austria, as well as in the rest of Europe. Currently, the hermit ibis has disappeared from most of its original habitats and in the wild, only a few isolated colonies remain in Morocco and Syria, with a very small number of specimens.
