Air Malta is proud to be supporting Nature Trust (Malta) in its efforts to open the first Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Malta. Nature Trust (Malta) was founded on 12 December 1962 as the Natural History Society of Malta. On 8 January 1999, four environmental NGOs, namely the Society for the Study and Conservation of Nature formerly known as the Natural History Society of Malta (founded 1962), Arbor (founded 1983), Verde (founded 1997) and Marine Life Care Group (MLCG), merged to form Nature Trust (Malta).

Nature Trust (Malta) is very active in maintaining nature reserves and sanctuaries, and protecting local flora, fauna and unique habitats. Its marine activity includes a shark rescue programme, participation in the Delphis Project and Sea Turtle rescue and care.

Thanks to Air Malta’s support and your generous donation, Nature Trust (Malta)’s dream of opening its Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre comes ever closer to realisation. The Centre will primarily aim to care for injured sea turtles and will include an Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU) for seriously ill turtles.

Some Sea Turtle Facts

Sea Turtles appeared during the Triassic period, 245 to 208 million years ago. They are cold blooded reptiles and together with saltwater crocodiles, marine snakes, and marine iguanas, are the only surviving seawater-adapted reptiles. They have lungs similar to those of mammals and therefore need to surface for air. The Sea Turtle does not have teeth, but a beak-like jaw to match its diet of fish, jelly fish and crustaceans. They also drink sea water and exert the extra salt from their body as tears. Being cold-blooded animals, sea turtles cannot regulate their body temperature and therefore need to adapt to the temperature of their surrounding environment. This is why they love warm waters, basking lazily in the sun just below the water’s surface. The Sea Turtle has a long life span, reaching maturity at around 35 years of age.

Endangerment

Sea Turtle numbers are on the decline for various reasons. These include :

• accidental trapping and entanglement in fishermen’s long lines and nets;
• getting caught on hooks while eating fishing bait; the hooks and lines cause infections that may lead to a cruel death;
• ingestion of plastics bags, mistakenly eaten by the Sea Turtle as jelly fish;
• strikes from boat propellers;
• coastal development and destruction of nesting beaches;
• destruction of feeding habitats such as sea-grass meadows, as a result of destructive fishing techniques, sedimentation, nutrient run-off from the land, insensitive touristic development and climate change;
• decline of prey population for similar resons.

Thanks to your support, the Sea Turtle may revive and return to form an active part of our marine habitat. Be part of this success story. Join Air Malta in helping Nature Trust (Malta) reach its target.

Nature Trust (Malta)
Wied Ghollieqa Environment Centre
Lower lever, Car park 1
University of Malta, Msida
PO Box : Nature Trust (Malta), PO Box 9, Valletta. VLT 1000
Telephone : +356 2131 3150
Fax : +356 2132 0778

Contact us on Email if you would like further details or wish to visit one of Nature Trust (Malta)’s projects.