28 July 2007 Rating 5% No Comment  

As the sun set on the cliffs of Ta' Cenc last Saturday, a scene unfolded that few in Gozo or Malta have had the privilege of watching, mostly because few are aware of the natural phenomenon that lies in our midst. At dusk, thousands of seabirds could be seen on the horizon forming a dark cloud travelling towards the island of Gozo. As the cloud dispersed, Cory's Shearwaters danced around the sea in a display that stunned the people who had gathered to witness the spectacle in the waters beneath the Cliffs of Ta' Cenc.Ta' Cenc is one of the few remaining natural areas on our islands that have stood the test of time. This may not be for long. The Cory's Shearwater may face the same fate as the Maltese Falcon. The last pair of Peregrine Falcon (Maltese Falcon) recorded breeding on the cliffs of Ta' Cenc were shot in the early1980s. Shearwaters were part of the falcon's diet. It is because of such predators that the shearwater can be seen rafting out of reach in the open waters beneath the cliffs waiting for darkness to fall. Fear of the predator has taught them to approach their chicks nesting in sheltered burrows in pitch darkness. Survival has led them to beware of predators such as birds of prey. Yet birds of prey are themselves victims of a more aggressive predator - the hunter. The shearwater is unaware of the irony that a country associated with falcons is now marked as 'off limits' to breeding birds of prey. The shearwater follows the age-old ritual of approaching the cliffs to feed their offspring during the protective darkness. In the early hours of the morning, the parents then leave the nest in search of food. They can dive as deep as thirty metres to catch their fish. Meanwhile, their young are waiting for the next nightfall for their parents to arrive. When old enough to fly, the chick will take off and join other shearwaters far out at sea. Shearwaters leave their breeding grounds in October. Breeding pairs return to Malta year after year. Around February, these same birds will visit the Cliffs of Ta' Cenc again to search for a suitable nesting site for their next chick. Not much is known about where the Cory's Shearwaters go during their absence from Malta although their return can be predicted. The colony here is of international importance because it constitutes approximately five per cent of the global population. The strong presence of shearwaters on our islands was in evidence last Saturday. Among the thousands of Cory's shearwaters, a few of its cousins, the Yelkouan shearwater, could also be seen. The Yelkouan shearwater is presently the focus of a EU LIFE conservation project at Rdum tal-Madonna, known as L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha, because Malta holds ten per cent of the world population of these sea birds. Employing scientific techniques, including satellite tagging to track the birds' movements and behaviour, more can be learnt about their habits and the threats they face. This is the first project of its kind in Malta. It puts these islands on the international map in the area of conservation. Considering the country's present reputation as a stop-over for migratory birds to get slaughtered, efforts to counter the damage that has been caused by years of indiscriminate hunting are crucial. Sadly, hunting is not the only threat. Overdevelopment has impinged on most of the natural habitats that the islands had to offer. In spite of public outrage against the construction of a golf course, villas and hotel extension near Ta' Cenc, the threat remains. Rhetoric proffered by Environment Minister George Pullicino about limiting development at Ta' Cenc has solved nothing. The Maltese government has the responsibility of protecting the natural environment for the benefit of its citizens. Yet at the same time it is rejecting arguments that Ta' Cenc merits the designation of a Natura 2000 site, which would ensure its complete protection. On that Saturday evening, over a hundred BirdLife Malta members bore witness to the true worth of Ta' Cenc. As the boats carrying them floated on the deep blue sea surrounding the cliffs, the shearwaters calls rang in the air. Those calls must never be allowed to become a memory. This generation may never see another breeding pair of Maltese Falcons on the cliffs of Ta' Cenc. We must make sure that the next generation can still see the shearwaters.