Starting April 12, one of the most beloved series in the Sardinian publishing scene returns to newsstands with L'Unione Sarda: Ilisso presents “I personaggi della Natura”, a collection dedicated to the animal world.

The first volume of the series is dedicated to one of the most iconic animals of Sardinia: the pink flamingo. A symbol that over the years has become an integral part of the identity of Cagliari, Quartu Sant'Elena and the territories surrounding the Molentargius-Saline Regional Natural Park.

Flamingos: between biology, myth and Sardinian identity

In Sardinian they are called “Su Mangoni” or affectionately “Sa Genti Arrubia” – the “red people” – an epithet that tells not only about the bright colour of their plumage but also about the emotional and almost familiar bond that the Sardinians have established with these elegant birds.

Flamingos are not just seasonal guests: they are now honorary citizens, permanently present in the area, and protagonists of one of the most fascinating stories of coexistence between man and nature.

From the first egg in 1980 to the nesting in Molentargius

Their urban history has a key date: 1993, the year of the first official nesting in Molentargius Park. An extraordinary event that attracted the attention of local and international media. But the first sign actually dates back thirteen years earlier: in 1980, a young seventeen-year-old journalist, Luca Pinna, discovered the first flamingo egg in the area. An egg now preserved in the Zoology Museum of the University of Cagliari.

When flamingos brought luck to Cagliari

1993 is not just any year for the people of Cagliari. It is also the year in which Cagliari Calcio qualified for the UEFA Cup. And in the collective memory, the nesting of flamingos was experienced as a positive sign, a beautiful omen.

So much so that, it is said, the rossoblù fans stopped honking their horns near the pond so as not to disturb the new winged tenants. A poetic, almost sacred gesture, which sealed a pact of coexistence and mutual respect.

The omen came true: that year Cagliari eliminated Juventus and won 3-2 against Inter in the first leg of the European semi-final. A glorious year, tinged with red and blue and shades of pink, like the sky crossed by flamingos at sunset.

(Online Union)

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