Surfbirds News

This high profile project is a partnership of government authorities and conservation organisations, part funded by the European Union. This combination of government bodies with BirdLife Malta, RSPB and SPEA (BirdLife Portugal) is an innovative and positive way of working on wildlife conservation in the Maltese islands

Yelkouan Shearwater, copyright Frank Dhermain

Yelkouan Shearwater, copyright John Borg

The Maltese islands are very important for Yelkouan Shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan). An estimated 1,500 pairs are known to breed here, which equals approximately 10% of the world's population. A third of these breed at the project site, Rdum tal-Madonna, in the north of Malta.

The aim of the project is to secure the future for Yelkouan Shearwaters in Malta and the Mediterranean. The initiative also aims to improve the Rdum tal-Madonna site (a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation) for visitors from abroad and locals.

The project will undertake satellite tracking and data logging research to find out where these birds actually go after the breeding season in the Maltese islands. This will provide new scientific data (currently very limited) on these birds' movements and behaviour including how deep they can dive, whether they stay near Malta and how far they travel. The Project will use this data to create the first Marine Special Protection Area in Malta, setting an example for other countries in the Mediterranean region.

We are also creating the first protected area management plan for Malta which will act as a blueprint for all other internationally important sites.

For further information, please contact me at the below addresses:

Helen Raine
Project Manager
EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project
c/o BirdLife Malta, 57/28 Triq Abate Rigord, Ta'Xbiex XBX1120
Tel: +356 21347646
helen.raine@birdlifemalta.org

http://www.lifeshearwaterproject.org.mt/

http://www.birdlifemalta.org