Red gorgonian

Photo: Erica Callegaro · © all rights reserved

Dense red gorgonian fans colonise the vertical walls at Il Medico from around 25 m downward, their branches oriented to catch the mild currents that run around the northwestern tip of the island. As long-lived suspension feeders, they are indicators of water quality and thermal stability; Ustica's offshore location and the marine reserve's protection from anchor damage have kept these populations intact while those on more accessible mainland coasts have suffered recurrent bleaching.