As you may have heard last night at around 11 pm earlier on this week a turtle came up and nested at Gnejna Bay
This turtle came up right in the middle of Barbequers and flood lights and started digging and laid eggs
NTm was called on site by MRRA and in return we called Mepa
NTm licensed Volunteers arrived on site at 11.30 and Mepa asked us to verify if it was a true nesting site or just a false nesting as could happen
Two RT members slowly checked the site and found traces of eggs confirming this was a true nesting event – after 51 years!!!
The nest was protected by markers and the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs provided security personnel till next morning
The problems were that the nest was too close to the sea and if the North west wind would have got stronger the waves would have washed all the eggs and nest away; the nest hole was too shallow as the turtle had found clay just under the sand and this posed a risk that eggs could have over heated and all die out; the nest was in the most busy part of the bay
This morning Mepa Officials decided to move the nest a few meters away on the same beach for better protection and to raise the chances of the hatchlings
The area will now be guarded 24X7
NTM has been asked to be part of the stakeholders guarding the nesting site – together with MRRA Security, the Police and MEPA Officials
NTM will be guarding the site everyday from 4 pm to 8 pm for 8 weeks. We badly need help even if you can just one time a week. Those interested are to contact our Marine Conservation Office on grazcavlan@gmail.com or write to info@naturetrustmalta.org. Once we have names, all volunteers will be given a special ID by mepa to show in case they are asked by people.
We appeal to all to offer their little help so together we may see the hatchlings all the way through and ensure no harm comes to them from Vandals etc
WE need your help even a few hours a week. A tent for volunteers will be on site provided by the the Mgarr LC with the necessary Mepa permit
Nature Trust (Malta)
P.O. Box 9, Valletta VLT 1000 Malta
www.naturetrustmalta.org
info@naturetrustmalta.org
Tel: +356 21313150
one of the most wonderfull thing a person can witness, and all on one of our beaches
that's incredibale. Hope they all make it out of their eggs and run safe to sea.
How long will the eggs take to hatch..???
Hope it is not so long, since that it then interferes with businesses, and this is not so good neither for the persons, and much more for the turtles..!!!!!
Hope they hatch in good health...and we are shown a beautiful footage...
The eggs take 60 Days to hatch...
........jekk ma jaghmilx xi wahda Majjistral forza 8 u jkaxkar kollox ))-::
This news was fantastic for Malta. But i would have gone a step further and totally closed the bay.
Come on Baghira, do you really believe that business is a problem at Gnejna? After years of very good profit this would be a year of rest for the multitude of businesses in the area. Ha ha.
Quote from: maltembu on June 23, 2012, 12:03:27 CET
The eggs take 60 Days to hatch...
Quote from: octo hunter on June 23, 2012, 17:40:30 CET
This news was fantastic for Malta. But i would have gone a step further and totally closed the bay.
60 days is an awful lot of time for hatching, but that's nature.
@octo hunter - are you by any chance one of those nature extremists that we have on this island? Aren't families with their children entitled to use the bay as well, or is it now the preprogative of a turtle to occupy the whole bay. It's a very nice to have a turtle laying and hatching on our shores, but for God's sake, be sensible It seems that in Malta, animals are much more preferred than human beings.
Hehe a very good point !!!!!!
I am no nature extremist my friend but sometimes you get fed up with reading some things on this forum and then seeing others from the same forum members who wrote them. Many here talk about fish sizes but when you see what some (not all) catch you get confused. I have read here a couple of times about people complaining of scuba divers who spearfish and then you see the same persons doing just that
Regarding families going for a swim at gnejna is a .good point but if the bay is closed it is not the families with children who will ruffle their feathers but others. ;)
views views views.....
also some good points octo.....
Quote from: malvizzu on June 23, 2012, 20:35:48 CET
Quote from: maltembu on June 23, 2012, 12:03:27 CET
The eggs take 60 Days to hatch...
Quote from: octo hunter on June 23, 2012, 17:40:30 CET
This news was fantastic for Malta. But i would have gone a step further and totally closed the bay.
60 days is an awful lot of time for hatching, but that's nature.
@octo hunter - are you by any chance one of those nature extremists that we have on this island? Aren't families with their children entitled to use the bay as well, or is it now the preprogative of a turtle to occupy the whole bay. It's a very nice to have a turtle laying and hatching on our shores, but for God's sake, be sensible It seems that in Malta, animals are much more preferred than human beings.
Malvizzu, you are really seeing one side of the coin, and a very selfish one.
Sea turtles nowadays have declined drastically. We have declined their population drastically. Turtles can help to reduce the jelly fish problem. 60 days are not much, considering that next to Gnejna there are other two bays equally beautiful for swimming. So there are bathing bays for people and places where to have a bbq....
It is important to send the message to the public that people are as important as animals, and we are meant to Co-exist with animals not the other way round.
We are blessed with intelligence and a mind to think, although sometimes I doubt this really applies to everyone...
you all said good points from both sides but why this nature trust and mepa never said a word for all the trammel nets that they throw everyday in the gnejna area or in any other part of malta. the fish in this area has became a rarity like the turtles. maybe its because the turtle is seen by the public and nature trust and mepa can score some good points with the public. all the fish that is caught and destroyed with the nets are not in the public eye so they dont care about them
PROSET BUZU. I would go further, my family and I are frequent visitors to Gnejna bay especially during the week in the afternoon to early evening. The sandy area is completely overrun by people who cordone off the area and have group BBQs, playing music which definitely shuts out the possibility of decent conversation, and esentially disturbing other beach goers with parties, loud music and car parked on the sand. But hey, we're only mere tax payers, the same people who make it possible to put bread on the politician's and civil cervant's plates through our taxes. None of us dare criticize them lest they remember who their critics where and well, you know, no one wants to be seen in a bad light, especially right now, with election year coming up. But one day a turtle laid some eggs (I understand its over 70) and MEPA, Nature Trust, a whole bunch of NGOs, every Tom Dick and Harry and his dog, all come out in favour of cordoning off Gnejna sandy beach, no music, no BBQs, no trampling....my God, you'd think it was the Almighty himself, who had walked over the sand there and we're trying to preserve the area!. Now I know some of you will interpret this as me being choosy and arogant, but hey, one I don't give a damn, and another thing, those who do not agree with this, just say so, without the hate mail please, as that only makes me hate you more. Bottom line, yes, by all means, protect the turtle, the area, and it's eggs, but more importantly, protect the people 1st!!. I saw a message from the turtle on FaceBook addressed to MEPA, Nature Trust, and all these NGO's and individuals who are hailing this egg laying advent as the next best thing since toilet paper was invented...it said 'Aw, iddejquliex il-bajd!"
Quote from: Granitu on June 25, 2012, 10:43:49 CET
Malvizzu, you are really seeing one side of the coin, and a very selfish one.
@Granitu - I am in no way being selfish as I never swim or launch my boat from Gnejna, and thus have no interest of the place whatsoever. Thus you are totally out of point here my friend. But even though I do not frequent the place, there are families who have been going there for years on end. I'm all in favour of protecting these eggs and it's a wonderful thing to see them hatch. I'm also in favour of a 24hour surveillance, but closing the bay for two months or more in the peak of the summer season is too much.
Yes, and I am more convinced then ever, that here in Malta animals are more preferred than human beings, and we have seen this happening many times. Elderly persons gets beaten and robbed, others bullied for various cultural reasons, and our pathetic courts hand over a peanut of a sentence, but than if someone hurts a dog or another kind of animal, than it's all over the news, with large newspaper headings, bringing extremist naturalists from abroad as watchdogs, prime news on TV etc. Blaaahh very pathetic!!!!
Quote from: The_Gaffer on June 25, 2012, 14:06:28 CET
PROSET BUZU. I would go further, my family and I are frequent visitors to Gnejna bay especially during the week in the afternoon to early evening. The sandy area is completely overrun by people who cordone off the area and have group BBQs, playing music which definitely shuts out the possibility of decent conversation, and esentially disturbing other beach goers with parties, loud music and car parked on the sand. But hey, we're only mere tax payers, the same people who make it possible to put bread on the politician's and civil cervant's plates through our taxes. None of us dare criticize them lest they remember who their critics where and well, you know, no one wants to be seen in a bad light, especially right now, with election year coming up. But one day a turtle laid some eggs (I understand its over 70) and MEPA, Nature Trust, a whole bunch of NGOs, every Tom Dick and Harry and his dog, all come out in favour of cordoning off Gnejna sandy beach, no music, no BBQs, no trampling....my God, you'd think it was the Almighty himself, who had walked over the sand there and we're trying to preserve the area!. Now I know some of you will interpret this as me being choosy and arogant, but hey, one I don't give a damn, and another thing, those who do not agree with this, just say so, without the hate mail please, as that only makes me hate you more. Bottom line, yes, by all means, protect the turtle, the area, and it's eggs, but more importantly, protect the people 1st!!. I saw a message from the turtle on FaceBook addressed to MEPA, Nature Trust, and all these NGO's and individuals who are hailing this egg laying advent as the next best thing since toilet paper was invented...it said 'Aw, iddejquliex il-bajd!"
Well said Gaffer and you're not being "choosy and arrogant", just stating plain facts. F'dal-pajjiz hawn hafna dojoq u dan il-forum mhux nieqes minnhom lanqas!!!!!!
Can't really agree completely with you gaffer on this - environmental NGOs are meant to protect biodiversity not to protect you, me or our families from the more rowdy members of the human species! Of course this does not mean that I agree with the lassaiz fair attitude and lack of discipline that seems to have overrun this country.
You may or may not think much of it yourself, but many people, including myself, think that it is very positive to have turtles return to laying eggs on our beaches after an absence of so many decades. After all turtles are getting rarer - therefore I think that it makes a lot of sense to limit beach-related activities in the area to increase the chance of these eggs hatching.
Yes. and facts like the truth an often hurt. I remember not so long ago when an EIA (read environment impact assessment) was being carried out focusing on the installation of Wind Turbines on is-Sikka l-bajda. Notwithstanding the argument that is-Sikka l-Bajda has been trolled, trammeled and wiped out clean of any marine life by the numerous fishing vessels sweeping the whole area there, and I cannot remember nature trust, mepa or any other NGOs coming out against this practice. SO what was the negative impact/...a bunch of birds, who have taken to laying their eggs on l-ahrax tal-mellieha...and do you know what the crime of these wind turbines would be?...(I stop, shudder, laugh and cry at the same time) the crime was NOISE POLLUTION...yes, you read right, the noise pollution coming from the big propellers the turbines use would certainly disturb the birds and nestlings!...Imma man, dan mhux pajjiz tad-dahk ta jew tal-mickey mouse...this nation has no backbone, just a bunch of yes man, ready to accept everything the authorities pontificate on (read CABS drones flying overhead) and we poor natives have to lump it or stuff it. So, this country, full of backboneless people, had to accept the result of a negative impact on a few birds, and forfeit the installation of a Wind Turbine Farm in an area which was clean swept of any living marine creature (this with the blessing of the authorities) because the noise from the turbine flaps would disturb the birds. A missed opportunity to have the cleanest of energies, delivered by nature. But of course, Heavy fuel oils used at the local power station only affect humans, you know, the back bone less type of humans, who are more concerned with the welfare of some birds, rather than the whole population, especially the southerners.
Quote from: lazyfisherman on June 25, 2012, 14:56:33 CET
Can't really agree completely with you gaffer on this - environmental NGOs are meant to protect biodiversity not to protect you, me or our families from the more rowdy members of the human species! Of course this does not mean that I agree with the lassaiz fair attitude and lack of discipline that seems to have overrun this country.
You may or may not think much of it yourself, but many people, including myself, think that it is very positive to have turtles return to laying eggs on our beaches after an absence of so many decades. After all turtles are getting rarer - therefore I think that it makes a lot of sense to limit beach-related activities in the area to increase the chance of these eggs hatching.
Lazyfisherman - it is your right not to agree, and I will defend that right here on the forum. But that does not mean you're always right, or I'm always wrong. As I said, I'm not exactly jumping up and down and flapping my arms in joy because some turtle decided to lay eggs on a sandy beach on our island, but I'm not going to go over there and remove the eggs just because its infringing on my right to enjoy the beach. I look at priorities and balance. And you know somehing lazyfisherman, I've never seen the tips balanced in my favour when dealing with environmentalists.
As you said it is all about balance and priorities but different people have very different notions of where this elusive balance lies. For many, environmentalists or otherwise, given that this may be a a one in a lifetime possibility to see turtles hatching locally, protecting the turtle eggs gets priority - it is a one off event after several decades.
As people who make use of the sea and its resources, i am of the opinion that fishing enthusiasts should be at the forefront in protecting the sea and its resources. But of course, I may be wrong!
What use would the environment be to one's state of being if one wasn't around to enjoy that environment anyway!. Who decides on what is priority, who recieves it, and at what level?
We can get philosophical here, but the rules of engagement will not change. So it is no longer one of preservation and sustainability, but the need now has changed to witnessing an event locally that may or may not ever happen again. How's that for being egoistically intrinsic about nature!
I am a very keen viewer of National Goegraphic, Animal planet, and Nat Geo wild. I have never witnessed the researchers, crew, or supporting team ever interfere with the natural course of nature, even when life and limb of the animals was at stake. They permitted nature to take its course, allowing for the natural checks and balances built into the life cycle of the earth's wild life to take its natural course. Here, we're above that, as no sooner had the poor turtle layed its eggs, that we felt the need to dig them out of their natural hole, and place them somewhere else. Saftey or not safety, we are infringing on life's natural way, just to satisfy our curiosity to witness this eventual hatching of the eggs.
MMMMMMMM..valid points from everyone but we live in Malta and that makes things complicated......We help a turtle eggs, but not other endangered species......we protect turtle eggs but no the human being......the obvious question is WHY....... its not an easy answer, one can argue that its election time, A PR exercise etc.
What amazes me is why do the people not react why are we so policically blind. If the goverment does not act and does things which are dangerous for the Human being then we should send a msg either by protests or if too scared by the vote........we have a power station that runs on heavy fuel and the Maltese are passive about it......and dont think that affects only the people of birzebbugia it effects all living creatures on the island as well as the surrounding seas, the water table etc etc.
where are these envirementalists that keep quite and WHY?? if it harms the envirenmont that means all living creatures. How about noise pollution like gianpula or ta' Qali.......do you thing that noise pollution only effects humans how about the different creatures. How about the light pollution nowadays its hard to see the sky at night with the glare of the lights....dont they know that has an effect on migratory birds, local bats etc.
BUT all these do not make headlines a bunch of eggs do......mind you i am in favour of protecting the hatchlings and I hope that we have more nesting in the furure, that is if it will be reported as I have ny doubts.....
Oh i am watching the news and they just said that there is a concert of Isle of MTV and its being held on the granneries in Valletta (Floriana), 50,000 youngsters jumping up and down, the noise well there are only residents in the area no turtle eggs, light pollution who cares (eggs dont fly)......hello Mepa and co wake up ...........
I could keep on and on but there is only one thing to say ONLY IN MALTA and that my friends summs it all up................
the answer to all your questions shanook is CORRUPTION.
Quote from: The_Gaffer on June 25, 2012, 16:53:23 CET
I am a very keen viewer of National Goegraphic, Animal planet, and Nat Geo wild. I have never witnessed the researchers, crew, or supporting team ever interfere with the natural course of nature, even when life and limb of the animals was at stake. They permitted nature to take its course, allowing for the natural checks and balances built into the life cycle of the earth's wild life to take its natural course. Here, we're above that, as no sooner had the poor turtle layed its eggs, that we felt the need to dig them out of their natural hole, and place them somewhere else. Saftey or not safety, we are infringing on life's natural way, just to satisfy our curiosity to witness this eventual hatching of the eggs.
We have been interfering with nature all the time, but generally to work against it rather than with it - this whole turtle issue is an issue precisely because we have messed around with nature - to the extent that all our sandy beaches have been ruined from the ecological point of view such that a turtle laying eggs (which would probably have been a common event some time ago) makes the headlines.
And researchers do interfere with nature and are having to do this more and more often as they try to redress this huge imbalance that WE have created - species translocation from one place to another, captive breeding programs for reintroduction (even involving artificial insemination !) etc. Ideally all these last resort measures are best avoided but unfortunately they may be the only options available for saving species that have become endangered as a result of man's massive impacts on the environment.
@lazy fisherman- I understand that you possess a higher level of expertise and are more competent on this subject than I am. I see your point and accept it. Thanks.
Good points, but we have to keep the two points separate....
Govt. and Nature.
Let them poor eggs hatch in peace.....
and let the govt. show off, and bullshit with all this protection issue, after all we are not stupid and we can answer the govt. sooner or later...
Quote from: shanook on June 25, 2012, 19:42:16 CET
MMMMMMMM..valid points from everyone but we live in Malta and that makes things complicated......We help a turtle eggs, but not other endangered species......we protect turtle eggs but no the human being......the obvious question is WHY....... its not an easy answer, one can argue that its election time, A PR exercise etc.
What amazes me is why do the people not react why are we so policically blind. If the goverment does not act and does things which are dangerous for the Human being then we should send a msg either by protests or if too scared by the vote........we have a power station that runs on heavy fuel and the Maltese are passive about it......and dont think that affects only the people of birzebbugia it effects all living creatures on the island as well as the surrounding seas, the water table etc etc.
where are these envirementalists that keep quite and WHY?? if it harms the envirenmont that means all living creatures. How about noise pollution like gianpula or ta' Qali.......do you thing that noise pollution only effects humans how about the different creatures. How about the light pollution nowadays its hard to see the sky at night with the glare of the lights....dont they know that has an effect on migratory birds, local bats etc.
BUT all these do not make headlines a bunch of eggs do......mind you i am in favour of protecting the hatchlings and I hope that we have more nesting in the furure, that is if it will be reported as I have ny doubts.....
Oh i am watching the news and they just said that there is a concert of Isle of MTV and its being held on the granneries in Valletta (Floriana), 50,000 youngsters jumping up and down, the noise well there are only residents in the area no turtle eggs, light pollution who cares (eggs dont fly)......hello Mepa and co wake up ...........
I could keep on and on but there is only one thing to say ONLY IN MALTA and that my friends summs it all up................
Well, Shanook, every five years there is the election and a vote.
That is the best answer you can give to the a**h*** and du***ss politicians we have of whatever colour.
There might be the good one in the flock but its like a basket of apples, once one is rotten all become rotten....
"
A security guard employed by the Ministry of Resources and Rural Authority (MRRA) is to be removed from his job at Gnejna Bay after his own behaviour threatened the turtle nest he was sent to protect. A day after Gnejna Bay was declared an Emergency Conservation Area (ECA) by MEPA to ensure that the maximum protection for the site where a marine turtle laid a number of eggs on Wednesday, a security guard drove his car down to the beach, seemingly drunk, beamed his car lights onto the beach and even urinated near the nest."He was only removed from "working"in gnejna bay.i wonder what mepa{sic}has to say!
Quote from: Granitu on June 26, 2012, 09:42:46 CET
Well, Shanook, every five years there is the election and a vote.
That is the best answer you can give to the a**h*** and du***ss politicians we have of whatever colour.
Quote from: baghira on June 26, 2012, 08:33:52 CET
... after all we are not stupid and we can answer the govt. sooner or later...
Are you sure Granitu & Baghira, cause I really doubt it!!!!!!!!!!! The British say "ones bitten, twice shy" but this does not seem to apply to the Maltese, take for example the hunting issue!!!!! Bitten ones, bitten other times, and still voted for the present government.
Quote from: The_Gaffer on June 25, 2012, 22:45:31 CET
@lazy fisherman- I understand that you possess a higher level of expertise and are more competent on this subject than I am. I see your point and accept it. Thanks.
Excellent. I was told that one of the attractions for a Brit thinking of moving to Malta was that we had a similar sense of humour. And this is precisely the kind of sarcasm that puts a smile on my face. See you soon !