NatureTrust Malta - Appeal for Help

[skip]

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

[digger0579]

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.

[baghira]

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...

[maltembu]

The eggs take 60 Days to hatch...

[rixa444]

........jekk ma jaghmilx xi wahda Majjistral forza 8 u jkaxkar kollox ))-::

[octo hunter]

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.

[malvizzu]

The eggs take 60 Days to hatch...

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.

[ggantno1]

Hehe a very good point !!!!!!

[octo hunter]

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.

[baghira]

views views views.....
also some good points octo.....

[Granitu]

The eggs take 60 Days to hatch...

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...

[busumark]

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

[The_Gaffer]

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!"

[malvizzu]

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!!!!

[malvizzu]

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!!!!!!