Wildlife in the air and sea
If the Maltese fauna is much less rich and diversified than its flora, it is nevertheless of interest. On the wildlife side, fossils and prehistoric bones of hippos and elephants have been found, but that was before. Today, it is almost visually non-existent. On the other hand, when bending over or observing, one may find a few species to contemplate, foremost among which are lizards. In the Maltese archipelago, there are four endemic lizard species found nowhere else. All are subspecies of the Maltese wall lizard (Podarcis filfolensis). The first (Podarcisfilfolensis Maltensi), usually greenish and sometimes speckled, is widespread on the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino. But the other three have extremely small territories. One of them is only found on Fungus Rock, a large rock forming a small island west of Gozo. It is the Podarcis filfolensis Generalensis which has a reddish belly and blue flanks. The second was not far from the islands of St Paul's Bay but this colour-changing Podarcis filfolensis kieselbachi has seen its population virtually eliminated since 2005. The third (Podarcis filfolensis filfolensis), the largest, with its blackish colour and bluish spots, is only found on the island of Filfa, south of Malta, which has been declared a nature reserve to preserve this extremely rare species in particular. During your walk, you may come across Mediterranean chameleons, snails (sometimes eaten), a painted frog (the only amphibian in the archipelago) or more likely dragonflies as they are very numerous (eleven species listed, two of which are migratory) and display multiple colours. And butterflies because the archipelago has 600 species of lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), some of which are endemic. Among them are the recently discovered bahrija tat-tenghud(Hyles sammuti Eitschberger) (1998), the ir-rubin(Phragmatobia fuliginosa melitensis Bang Haas) and the very large and colourful farfett tal-fejgel(Papilio machaon melitensis Eller). The latter is common in France, but there is a Maltese subspecies. Some of the butterflies are migratory. Thus the tax-xewk(Vanessa cardui) arrives in large numbers in autumn and spring from the coasts of North Africa.The island is also home to four species of snakes, all non venomous. Among them is the leopard snake (Elaphe situla)
associated by the Maltese with the reptile that bit St. Paul after his shipwreck on the north coast of the island. Nevertheless, it is the birds that will be the most observable animals. In total, there are 375 different species, generally small in size, but only 20 species are present all year round (50 species in winter). 112 species are regular migrants and 180 species are occasional migrants.Among those that are found little or not at all in France, here are those that you may be lucky enough to encounter :
The bluebird (murill
in Maltese). This Maltese national bird is present all year round on cliffs and rocky hills. The male is blue, more or less dark, with black wings, and you can easily recognize its cry in "tac-tac". It is a typically Mediterranean species that can be found in the south of France.The European bee-eater (qerd in-nahal
) is the most colourful bird on the island, if not in Europe. It is yellow-brown on top and blue-green underneath. As its name suggests, it feeds on insects. It lives in colonies and is found in Malta in spring.The Spanish sparrow(ghammiel tal bejt
). Very common in Malta but absent in France, it resembles our house sparrow. It is characterized by a blacker and wider spot on the throat. It can be found all year round in inhabited areas.The Spectacled Warbler (bufula hamra
) is one of the smallest birds of the archipelago (12.5 cm), common in open or bushy areas. Its "glasses" can only be seen if one is very close. It is a very common species in North Africa and can also be found in summer in Provence and Corsica.Vous will also be able to observe orioles and their pretty bright yellow plumage, kestrels, dwarf bitterns, woodcocks, short-eared owls, ducks and many swallows which seem to take advantage of the permanent winds.
The underwater fauna, on the other hand, is much richer. It would take too long to list all the species, but divers will encounter groupers, octopus, damselfish, gurnards, stingrays, red mullets and even a few moray eels. Deeper down, they will find walleye, scorpion fish and worms. Few chances of encountering a shark. As for tunas and dolphins, they are rare and can only be encountered in winter.Gozo, the green island
To appreciate the Maltese flora, it is necessary to come at the right time of the year, as it can be observed especially before the great heat, in spring, but also afterwards, in autumn. As it is typically Mediterranean, its dominant flora is that of the garrigue. In the scrubland, you will find thyme, rosemary, heather, capers, prickly pears and succulents that can withstand high temperatures and low rainfall. In spring, poppies, daisies and also crown chrysanthemums add a touch of colour. The other good way to contemplate the Maltese flora is to walk through the small valleys, especially in Gozo. During the good seasons, it has the reputation of being a green island. There are typically Mediterranean shrubs such as oleander, sumac (which provides lacquers and varnishes), castor and its large palm leaves (whose oil is used in pharmacies), pomegranate, umbrella pine and, of course, the olive tree, symbol of the Mediterranean. There is also the evergreen carob tree (whose seeds are used by the food industry), the tamarisk (a tree with small leaves and clusters of pink flowers), the almond tree, the fig tree and the prickly pear, which is easily recognisable and contributes to the exotic character of the landscape. Other species of shrubs have been imported such as the ficus, hibiscus or bougainvillea, which embellishes the landscape with its flamboyant flowers. The forest has almost completely disappeared from both islands, probably due to the climate, the herds and the growing need for arable land. Two green areas remain, the gardens of St Anton and the Buskett Woods. In the latter you will see cypress, oak and ash trees as well as some palm trees, including dates, which are sold in local grocery stores to make mqaret, a national delicacy. Vines are also present in small plots, especially in the south of the country, as well as orange and lemon trees. Finally, there is also a return of the olive trees, which have become very discreet for a while due to overuse of wood and the search for land. With the help of the European Union, about 90,000 olive trees have been planted and produce an oil that has the reputation of being the least acidic in the Mediterranean.
