Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre inaugurated at Xrobb l-Għaġin, co-financed EU funds
A new Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre within the grounds of the Xrobb l-Għaġin Nature Park will provide improved shelter and rehabilitation facilities for injured wildlife as well as a hub for environmental research and education. This Centre is already offering care to nine sea turtles and seven hedgehogs.
The project was inaugurated by Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett, in the presence of the President of Nature Trust Malta Vince Attard and Director General of Ambjent Malta Herman Galea.
The centre was developed by Nature Trust Malta, in collaboration with Ambjent Malta, with a €2.5 million investment co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre encompasses rehabilitation facilities for diverse wildlife, including marine, terrestrial and avian fauna, offering a sanctuary for their recovery before potential reintroduction to their habitats.
The centre will provide improved facilities for Nature Trust’s Wildlife Rescue Team, which receives financial assistance from the Environment and Resources Authority and other contributors, to rescue and care for injured wildlife.
The project also includes a Marine Research Centre and an educational area for children and visitors, where they will be able to learn about Maltese wildlife and their conservation.
The Centre is housed in the former building of the Deutsche Welle radio station, which closed down in 1996. The building, which is recognised as a structure of significant industrial heritage value, was restored and repurposed for its new life as a wildlife centre. It also includes several sustainable building services, such as renewable energy, water conservation and waste management systems.
With the support of Ambjent Malta, more than 20,000 native trees and shrubs were planted around the building and in other areas of the nature park, creating a thriving ecosystem.
Minister Miriam Dalli explained that this project marks a significant step forward for wildlife rehabilitation and conservation in Malta, emphasising the nation’s commitment to preserving its ecological diversity.
“We need to maintain our commitments towards the protection of our natural heritage. This Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is not just a building with specialised equipment. It is a holistic environmental experience that brings together children and adults from all walks of life towards a common objective. Let’s keep working together towards a more sustainable future,” Miriam Dalli said whilst thanking Nature Trust, Ambjent Malta and the Parliamentary Secretariat for European Funds for their pivotal roles in bringing this transformative project to fruition.
Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett highlighted the importance of investing in environmental protection to mitigate the impacts of climate change and preserve biodiversity. He explained how EU funds support projects that improve the quality of life for citizens, promote social inclusion, and enhance the cultural heritage of regions.
“The Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at Xrobb l-Għaġin exemplifies the overarching vision of this government in the environmental landscape. With a total project value of €2.5 million, including €1.6 million from European funds, this centre serves as a refuge for wildlife, a symbol of environmental conservation and an example of an investment on a collective future. A collective future where economy, environment and social wellbeing are well intertwined,” concluded Parliamentary Secretary Bonett
Other individuals who supported this project were present during the inauguration.
The Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park will now be open everyday from 8am to 5pm.
Ċentru ġdid biex jgħin lill-voluntiera jirriabilitaw annimali selvaġġi feruti
Inawgurat Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, kofinanzjat minn fondi Ewropej, fi Xrobb l-Għaġin
Il-Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre l-ġdid li jinsab fil-Park Naturali ta’ Xrobb l-Għaġin se jipprovdi ambjent u faċilitajiet aħjar għar-riabilitazzjoni ta’ annimali selvaġġi feruti kif ukoll se jservi bħala ċentru għar-riċerka u l-edukazzjoni ambjentali. Dan iċ-ċentru diġà qed joffri kura lil disa’ fkieren tal-baħar u seba’ qniefed.
Il-proġett ġie inawgurat mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli u mis-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Fondi Ewropej Chris Bonett, fil-preżenza tal-President ta’ Nature Trust Malta Vince Attard u d-Direttur Ġenerali ta’ Ambjent Malta Herman Galea.
Iċ-ċentru ġie żviluppat minn Nature Trust Malta, b’kollaborazzjoni ma’ Ambjent Malta, b’investiment ta’ €2.5 miljun kofinanzjat mill-Fond Ewropew għall-Iżvilupp Reġjonali.
Iċ-ċentru ta’ riabilitazzjoni jinkludi faċilitajiet ta’ riabilitazzjoni għal diversi annimali selvaġġi, inklużi fawna tal-baħar, tal-art u tat-tjur. Dan iċ-ċentru se jservi bħala santwarju għall-irkupru ta’ dawn l-annimali qabel jiġu rilaxxati mill-ġdid fil-habitats tagħhom.
Iċ-ċentru se jipprovdi faċilitajiet aħjar lill-Wildlife Rescue Team fi ħdan Nature Trust Malta, li jirċievi għajnuna finanzjarja mill-Awtorità tal-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi u kontributuri oħra, sabiex isalva u jieħu ħsieb annimali selvaġġi feruti.
Il-proġett jinkludi wkoll Ċentru ta’ Riċerka tal-Baħar u żona edukattiva għat-tfal u l-viżitaturi, fejn ikunu jistgħu jitgħallmu dwar l-annimali selvaġġi Maltin u l-konservazzjoni tagħhom.
Iċ-ċentru jinsab fil-bini preċedenti tal-istazzjon tar-radju Deutsche Welle, li għalaq fl-1996. Il-bini, li huwa rikonoxxut bħala struttura ta’ valur ta’ wirt industrijali sinifikanti, ġie restawrat u ingħata l-ħajja mill-ġdid bħala ċentru tal-annimali selvaġġi. Jinkludi wkoll diversi elementi sostenibbli bħall-enerġija rinnovabbli, il-konservazzjoni tal-ilma u sistemi ta’ immaniġġjar tal-iskart.
Bl-appoġġ ta’ Ambjent Malta, tħawlu aktar minn 20,000 siġra u arbuxelli indiġeni madwar il-bini u f’żoni oħra tal-park naturali, u b’hekk ħolqu ekosistema b’saħħitha.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli spjegat li dan il-proġett jimmarka pass sinifikanti ’l quddiem għar-riabilitazzjoni u l-konservazzjoni tal-fawna selvaġġa f’Malta, filwaqt li enfasizzat l-impenn ta’ Malta biex jippreserva d-diversità ekoloġika tiegħu.
“Jeħtieġ li nibqgħu impenjati lejn il-ħarsien tal-wirt naturali tagħna. Dan iċ-ċentru ta’ riabilitazzjoni tal-fawna selvaġġa mhuwiex biss bini b’tagħmir speċjalizzat. Hija esperjenza ambjentali ħolistika li tgħaqqad tfal u adulti minn kull qasam tal-ħajja lejn għan komuni. Ejja nkomplu naħdmu flimkien lejn futur aktar sostenibbli,” qalet Miriam Dalli, filwaqt li rringrazzjat lil Nature Trust, Ambjent Malta u lis-Segretarjat Parlamentari għall-Fondi Ewropej għar-rwoli ċentrali tagħhom biex dan il-proġett trasformattiv jitwettaq.
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Chris Bonett enfasizza l-importanza li jsir investiment fil-ħarsien ambjentali biex jittaffew l-impatti tat-tibdil fil-klima u tiġi ppreservata l-bijodiversità. Huwa spjega li l-fondi Ewropej jappoġġaw proġetti li jtejbu l-kwalità tal-ħajja għaċ-ċittadini, jippromwovu l-inklużjoni soċjali, u jsaħħu l-wirt kulturali tar-reġjuni.
“Iċ-Ċentru għar-Riabilitazzjoni fi Xrobb l-Għaġin jagħti eżempju tal-viżjoni li għandu dan il-gvern fil-qasam ambjentali. B’valur totali tal-proġett ta’ €2.5 miljun, b’€1.6 miljun minn fondi Ewropej, dan iċ-ċentru se jservi ta’ refuġju għall-annimali midrubin, simbolu ta’ konservazzjoni ambjentali u eżempju ta’ investiment fuq futur kollettiv. Futur kollettiv fejn l-ekonomija, l-ambjent u l-benesseri soċjali jaħdmu lkoll id f’id,” temm jgħid Dr Bonett.
Waqt l-inawgurazzjoni kien hemm preżenti wkoll individwi oħra li appoġġaw dan il-proġett.
Il-Park Naturali ta’ Xrobb l-Għaġin issa se jkun miftuħ kuljum mit-8am sal-5pm.
