At Cornino Lake to meet the Griffon Vultures

What it is and where it is

Cornino Lake is a small basin with crystal-clear waters located in Friuli, in the province of Udine. If you follow the path along the lake and look for a river that flows into or out of the basin, you will not find it: in fact, Lake Cornino is fed by underground springs, the result of the karst nature of the territory. It is precisely this origin that determines its near absence of life forms: the underground springs keep the water temperature almost constant, between 9 and 11 degrees, which is not suitable for life for many aquatic species.

Why it is special

However, Cornino Lake is far from being a place devoid of life. After all, we are within a rich nature reserve, but that is not the real defining feature of the area. Looking up from the shores of the lake, you will be able to notice, perched on the surrounding rocks or flying high in the sky, huge birds of prey now almost extinct in the rest of Italy: griffon vultures! Right here for the past few years a reserve dedicated to these animals so wonderful as to be even legendary has been cared for, and right here, a colony has chosen to nest. They are a fabulous sight!