A project for a new Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre has been announced, which will be located in an area within the Xrobb l-Ghagin Park and will be managed by Nature Trust.
Minister for Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change José Herrera and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds and Social Dialogue Aaron Farrugia, together with Nature Trust have launched the project with an investment of around € 2 million.
80% will be financed by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund and 20% funded by the Ministry for the Environment.
Minister Herrera said that this project was put forward by Nature Trust and will be done in collaboration with his Ministry.
He stated that they were aware of the need to have a centre where they can rehabilitate wildlife species and thus the area within the park is suitable to be transformed into a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.
The centre will be responsible for the rehabilitation of wild species such as turtles, hedgehogs, snakes, bats and birds, the Minister said.
Following rehabilitation, if possible, they are released back in their natural habitat. He said that this project will offer visitors a unique attraction park and a creative and educational experience throughout the year.
Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds and Social Dialogue Aaron Farrugia said that he will remain focused on working with both the ministry and environmental entities to make use of the upcoming EU budget for an ecological transition in the country.
He said that Maltese and European wildlife species are increasingly in danger which is due to a number of factors, ranging from human activity to climate change.
The Parliamentary Secretary explained that few places in the world have such a unique patchwork for habitats, wildlife, and cultural landscapes in such a small area.
“For this reason, Malta could attract eco-tourism and different niches of tourists. In this sense, economic prosperity and environmental protection go hand in hand, to ensure a truly sustainable economy,” he said.
Aaron Farrugia said that with this investment of €2 million from the European Regional Development Fund, the number of visitors is expected to increase significantly.
Photo: DOI/Jeremy Wonnacott