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Biodiversity (Malta)

Daniela Muscat – Nicole Green Vella Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School Naxxar , Malta. Biodiversity (Malta). Malta. Gozo. Comino. Fungus Rock. Cominotto. St. Paul’s Islands. Malta. Manoel Island. Filfla. 316km 2. Land Area of the Maltese Islands. 416,055.

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Biodiversity (Malta)

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  1. Daniela Muscat – Nicole Green Vella Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School Naxxar, Malta Biodiversity(Malta)

  2. Malta

  3. Gozo Comino Fungus Rock Cominotto St. Paul’s Islands Malta Manoel Island Filfla

  4. 316km2 Land Area of the Maltese Islands 416,055 Population of the Maltese Islands Population Density: 1316persons/km2 Highest in the European Union 4th Highest in the World Many People = Built Up!

  5. As we can see through these aerial photographs, the Maltese Islands are extremely dense with buildings … … due to a large population for its small size!

  6. However, we still have a number of natural and untouched places which are home to many wild plants and animals.

  7. NATURAL HISTORY OF THEMALTESE ISLANDS Ramla l-Ħamra Inland Sea Fungus Rock Ta’ Ċenċ Comino St. Paul’s Islands Għadira Majjistral Simar Għajn Tuffieħa Wied Faħam Pembroke Wied Għollieqa WiedQliegħa Il-Buskett Girgenti Xrobb l-Għaġin Dingli Cliffs Il-Maqluba Il-Ballut WiedBabu Filfla

  8. Comino • Inhabited by only one family • Nature Reserve • Bird Sanctuary

  9. Comino stars in many films

  10. Filfla • Area: 0.06km2 • Uninhabited • 5km South of Malta • Name derived from filfel(peppercorn) • Limestone plateau with 60m high cliffs

  11. Did You Know? Filfla acts as breeding grounds for three rare birds (from top: European Storm Petrel, Cory’s Shearwater, Yellow Legged Gull)  Filfla is also home to an endemic species of lizard: What does endemic mean? This means that this species can only be found in this area and nowhere else in the world.

  12. St. Paul’s Island • Largest uninhabited island in the Maltese archipelago • Sometimes split into two islands when sea is rough • Statue of St. Paul present on the island closest to mainland Malta

  13. Extinct, or not extinct? • The St. Paul’s Island lizard is endemic to this island. Unfortunately, scientists have not seen it for a long time! • If it is not found any more it is extinct since its only home was at St. Paul’s Island and nowhere else in the world!

  14. Fungus Rock (Il-Ġeblatal-Ġeneral) • The Malta Fungus grew in large numbers on this islet. The Knights of St. John believed that it had medicinal properties and used to give this plant to nobles as gifts. Grand Master Pinto made the island out of bounds in 1746 with trespassers risking a 3 year spell as oarsmen in galleys. He also posted a guard, smoothened the cliffs and built a cable car connecting the rock to the mainland. Another lizard is endemic to this islet

  15. Il-Maqluba • Il-Maqluba was a huge cave whose ceiling fell down leaving a hole in the ground. • It is home to Malta's national bird, the blue rock thrush and Malta’s national tree, the Sandarac Gum Tree. • This Sandarac Gum Tree is only found in Malta, the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and in a region of Spain (Cartagena)

  16. Sandarac Gum Tree (Is-Siġra ta’ l-Għargħar)

  17. Blue Rock Thrush

  18. The Legend of Il-Maqluba Many years ago, a group of bad people were living together in Maqluba Village. God warned the village, through a good woman living close by, against their bad ways. However, the bad people did not bother about these warnings and God decided that the hamlet should be removed, sparing no-one except the good woman. Angels were sent to dispose of the hamlet by dumping it at sea ... and Filfla was thus formed. The woman then built the chapel we see near the place.

  19. Beaches and Sand DunesGħajnTuffieħa & Ramla l-Ħamra • Malta has quite a large amount of sandy beaches, some of which have sand dunes. • These are home to very unique animals and plants, such as the Sea Daffodil which is only found growing on sand dunes.

  20. Woodland: Il-Buskett Malta was completely covered by trees till the arrival of man! Today only four places still have remnants of this time: 1. Wardija (St. Paul’s Bay) 2. Mġiebaħ (Mellieħa) 3. Il-Bosk (Rabat) 4. WiedĦażrunta’ Baldu (Dingli) Two trees are characteristic of woodland areas: the Aleppo Pine and the Evergreen Oak • The largest woodland is Buskett but this is semi-natural since most of the trees present were planted by the Knights of St. John. • This place was designed as a hunting ground for the Knights

  21. Il-Majjistral Nature & History Park

  22. Għadira Nature Reserve Declared a bird sanctuary in 1978 Home to many birds and other species Habitat: wetland, marshland

  23. Simar Nature Reserve Home to many birds and other species Habitats: woodland, wetland, reeds, etc

  24. Maltese Rock Centaury Widnetil-Baħar - Cheirolophuscrassifolius The Maltese Rock Centaury is the National Plant of the Maltese Islands. It was discovered by the Maltese botanist Stefano Zerafa in 1830. • Interesting Facts • Endemic to Malta and Gozo • Habitat: Cliffs and coastal valleys • Found: west cliffs of Malta, south cliffs of Gozo • Flowers: Pink, appear between May and July • Protected by Law Flowers and Leaves of the Maltese Rock Centaury Critically Endangered

  25. Activities

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