Action for bird protection – is being organised by BirdLife Malta, with a clean-up event at L-Irdum tal-Madonna in Mellieha, one of Malta’s Natura 2000 sites.
BLM said that right now the Yelkouan Shearwater, an endemic Mediterranean seabird, is in danger. The site mentioned hosts valuable habitats and species, including the most important breeding colony of the Yelkouan Shearwater.
“At the same time, it is a popular camp and picnic site with inadequate waste management. It is important to keep the area litter-free so as not to attract invasive predators such as rats and also reduce the amount of rubbish entering the sea,” said the eNGO.
BLM noted that among the different types of litter, plastic makes its way to all corners of our ecosystem and destroys it.
It said that organic waste also has a negative impact on wildlife. “Especially on islands and small islets where natural food resources are limited, invasive species such as rats benefit from organic waste, and boost their numbers quickly.”
BLM pointed out that these same islands are usually home to breeding seabirds too, which end up with predation of highly nutritious seabird eggs and chicks by the over-abundant rat population.
“This is a major threat as it causes a significant reduction in reproductive success and eventually population size of seabird species” it said.
Besides the impact of organic litter, non-biodegradable domestic waste such as plastics can be washed off into the sea and end up in the food web.
BLM said that it is now well-known that seabirds ingest high amounts of plastic, which is probably affecting their survival.
This is the largest colony of Yelkouan Shearwater in Malta, said BirdLife, with over 500 pairs returning each year “so our clean-up efforts will be well worth, making the homes for all these birds safer.”
The event will start with an information session on Natura 2000 sites, the impact of litter and seabird conservation efforts in the locality, and will then continue with a clean-up at the camping area.
Finally, there will be a discussion on how the public can go a step further and become a seabird activist and how to raise awareness about the issues themselves.
Those that participate in the cleanup have a chance of winning free tickets to the Shearwater boat trips that BirdLife Malta organises every year to create awareness among the general public on seabird behaviour at sea.
All participants of the clean-up will be rewarded with shearwater pin badges to thank them for the help they provided to safeguard our seabirds.
BirdLife Malta said that it will have some reusable gloves to provide, “but kindly bring your own if you have some.”
The clean-up event is on Saturday, the 16th of November, meeting at 10am at the Chapel of Immaculate Conception (please click here [1] to see location on Google map). BirdLife Malta said that the event will finish at around 2pm.
If you would like to join up with the clean-up volunteers, please register your interest by completing the form here [2].
This event is in collaboration with the BirdLife Malta LIFE Arcipelagu Garnija project as part of the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) 2019 between the 16th and the 24th November.
Photograph by BirdLife Malta