Pelagian Islands

The Pelagie Islands (; ), from the Greek , meaning "open sea", are the three small islands of Lampedusa, Lampione, and Linosa, located in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Tunisia, south of Sicily. To the northwest lie the island of Pantelleria and the Strait of Sicily. All three islands are part of the ''comune'' of Lampedusa e Linosa. Geologically, part of the archipelago (Lampedusa and Lampione) is on the African continental shelf, while Linosa is of volcanic origin. Politically and administratively though, the islands fall within the Sicilian province of Agrigento and represent the southernmost part of Italy.

Despite pockets of agriculture, the islands are unnaturally barren due to wanton deforestation and the disappearance of the native olive groves, juniper and carob plantations. Fifty years ago much of the landscape was farmland bounded by dry stone walls but today, the local economy is based on sponge fishing and canning, supplemented by tourism in Lampedusa.

History

In 1553, the Turks raided Lampedusa, capturing 1000 slaves from their population. A colony was founded in 1843 by Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies after French settlers arrived in 1760. The islands held significant importance in World War II because of its nautical and ariel infrastructure, which would help the Allies launch an invasion of Sicily. On 9 May 1943, Operation Corkscrew began with the bombing of Pantelleria. Pantelleria would be captured by the Allies on 11 June 1943 after the surrender of Admiral Gino Pavesi. Meanwhile, bombing campaigns on the island of Lempadusa would begin on 5 June 1943. Lempadusa would further be subjected to a British landing on 7 June, which would be repelled. On 12 June, a final bombardment would annihilate the Italian defenses, leading to Admiral Orazio Bernardini surrendering. On 13 June, the operation ended with the capture of Linosa and Lampione. Today, the islands serve as a stepping stone for immigrants to get from North Africa to Italy.

Environment

Birds

The Pelagie Islands have been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support breeding populations of Scopoli's shearwaters and European shags.

Marine protected area

Of particular ecological concern in the islands is the protection of the loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') which is endangered throughout the Mediterranean as a result of its nesting sites being taken over by tourism. In Italy the beaches of on Linosa and on Lampedusa are two of the last remaining sites where the turtle regularly lays its eggs, the others (larger) being in southern Calabria (close to Reggio Calabria). The nature reserve, covering all three islands, was instituted in 2002.

See also

* List of islands of Italy

References

Archipelagoes of Italy
Important Bird Areas of Italy
Important Bird Areas of Mediterranean islands

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