New lights 'will affect birds'

BirdLife Malta has expressed concern at embellishment works being carried out on the belvedere at Wied Babu in Zurrieq, particularly plans for the installation of lights overlooking the valley and sea cliffs.

The environmental NGO fears these will be detrimental to the local fauna. Lights in the area, it claimed, would cause the shearwaters to desert the colony, as had happened after the installation of lighting at Xlendi Bay.

BirdLife reminded the authorities that following studies carried out on the area, it had identified the mouth of the valley at Wied Babu and the nearby sea cliffs as Important EU Bird Areas.

The site is one of 10 hosting important colonies of Cory's Shearwater (Ciefa) and Yelkouan Shearwater (Garnija) in the Maltese islands. The two species fall under the Birds Directive and the site should be declared a Special Protection Area under the same directive, the NGO held.

BirdLife is also concerned at the manner in which the works are being carried out on the site, which is also a candidate Special Area of Conservation under the Habitats Directive.

The NGO said it was not against embellishment works but was recommending that works be more sensitive towards the natural environment.

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