Hidden treasures in Malta and Gozo

Romeo Romano Garden - Santa Venera

Today I happened to visit a garden that is right in the middle of Santa Venera, an urban area in Malta. This locality together with Hamrun, Qormi and Birkirkara are villages that have merged into one big city. Traffic is quite chaotic in main roads, from early morning till late afternoon.

To breath some fresh air and enjoy the chirping of birds...I strongly recommend you visit one of the many gardens around Malta and Gozo. Most of them are pretty landscaped patches in the heart of villages, while others are unfortunately quite abandoned.

Our eco tours often feature gardens depending on the nature of the tour. Guests might have a particular interest in botany, and therefore gardens with a wide variety of endemic species are chosen.

Others might be interested in gardens for their intrinsic historical background and architecture. That is where we're spoiled for choice since the most important gardens have been established by the Knights of St. John. We're so lucky  to  have such treasures that we feel obliged to give them due importance during our tours. 

Majestic Sunset - Storks fly over Malta

More than 300 storks fly over Malta - Photo taken at Chadwick Lakes by Jeanette Borg

Yesterday's sunset was surely one of the best I've ever witnessed here in Malta. It's common to see such large flocks of birds in countries like Holland and Norway but in Malta such events are rarer. While driving across the Mdina Bypass, I spotted a huge black cloud coming closer. I kept on driving and realised that a flock of birds were flying quite fast and it would have been tricky to follow them. When I turned left towards Chadwick lakes the birds got so close that I jumped out of the car and started taking photos with my phone. They mush have been flying no more than 150 meters above my head. The guy that was driving behind me had to wait until I was done with the photos :) It was only till I contacted my expert bird ID friends that I confirmed these were White Storks. Ciconia species do not breed in Malta and their sitings are considered to be rare by keen Maltese birdwatchers. Their association with fidelity and fertility may have led to the popular image we often see...that is of storks delivering babies!

Amazing to see so many beauties flying so close - Photo taken at Chadwick Lakes by Jeanette Borg

The Taming of the Shrew...The Etruscan Shrew of Malta and Gozo

Scientific name: Suncus etruscus
English: Etruscan shrew
Maltese: Buggedum zghir or Gurdien Geddumu twil 


Photo and information by Mr. Arnold Sciberras

Information:  This species is the smallest known mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 grams on average. Because of their high ratio of surface area to body volume, the Etruscan shrew have an extremely fast metabolism and have to eat 1.5–2 times their body weight in food per day. They feed up to 25 times per day, mostly on various invertebrates (insects, their larvae, earthworms, etc.) as well as small vertebrates (young frogs, lizards and rodents), and can hunt prey of nearly the same body size as themselves. They prefer species with a soft and thin exoskeleton and for this reason avoid ants when given a choice. They kill large prey by a bite to the head and eat them immediately, whereas they take small insects back to their nest. When hunting, the Etruscan shrews mostly rely on their sense of touch rather than vision and may even run into their food at night. The Etruscan shrew might play important role in controlling the insect population. Unfortunately although protected by law, this is the fate of many as when they enter houses to feed on pests they are mistaken for mice instead of being welcomed. In Gozo an endemic species occurs.

Etruscan Shrew [photo by Arnold Sciberras]

Agriculture in Malta

Tempting strawberries

One of the best ways to enjoy local flora and fauna is to visit agricultural areas around Malta and Gozo. Rubble walls, soil, trees and corebelled stone huts form excellent habitats to a wide variety of species. At the moment strawberry plants are producing huge quantities of strawberries, while Japanese Medlars are just ripe. Agricultural land is not only useful to produce food but also has a recreational value for those who visit rural areas on Sundays to escape from the weekly chaos. Picnicking is one of the most preferred activities of locals during the cooler months. Those who are more adventurous opt for trekking. 

Tourists also appreciate the agricultural landscape and look for rural areas and their treasures during their stay in Malta. Agri-Tourism experiences are not as common as in other countries like Italy. That doesn't mean there are no options available. Since we started providing tours for locals and tourists, we felt that this area can be developed further. The local people will surely benefit since they are the owners and managers of the agricultural land.  Traditions and culture are very evident in the practices carried out in rural areas. Thus, promoting and providing such experiences can help in conserving traditions through the education of locals and tourists.