Victor B. Caruana, Mosta
Oil spill harmed endemic crab's habitat
Il-qabru in crystal clear water with its various colours serving as camouflage in its immediate surroundings. Photo: Victor B. Caruana
The fresh water crab, Il-qabru (Potamon Fluviatile), is endemic to the Maltese islands. Although not so common, it can be found near fresh water springs such as San Martin and Għajn Nastas (Wardija Area), Għajn Żejtuna (Mellieħa) and Fawwara (limits of Siġġiewi). It can also be found in Gozo in Wied ix-Xlendi, Wied San Blas and Wied il-Lunzjata.
Unfortunately much damage has been done to its habitat in the last locality due to the recent oil spill in that picturesque valley.
A lot of good work was carried out by Civil Protection members and other departments to minimise the damage.
This species is protected by Maltese law. Children should be taught to observe it, take photos of it, but never tamper with it or its surroundings.
It feeds mostly on tadpoles and fresh water shrimps and looks for food mostly after dusk. It likes to stay in the sun's rays passing between reeds.
It immediately hides under stones, water plants and broken reeds when it senses danger.
Unfortunately, its numbers are decreasing for various reasons, including insecticides, water pollution and habitat degradation.
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Anglu Xerri
May 3rd 2010, 21:37
I am adding another valley area were the fresh water crab excist is at Tal Marga valley,Qala Creek, Hondoq Ir-Rummien and Fonzu valley in Qala Gozo, although I never seen one alive I have seen many skeletons and claw bones that belong to this crab. This is a creek that runs in the centre of Qala village all the way to Hondoq Ir-Rummien bay and ends up in the sea. this creek is full of tadpoles. Many developers applied to build apartments right on this creek area in Tal Marga valley and also a mega project called Qala Creek Project at Hondoq Ir-Rummien. This will pollut and kill all the habitat animals and birds including Fauna in this area including a huge area of farming for ever. animals like fresh water crab, the painted frog, snakes,hedge hogs, rock thrushes Malta's national bird, many other birds and the pasedina medows at Hondoq Bay. I hope MEPA and the authorities will come to their senses and stop these projects in the ODZ, zones, before everything is polluted and destroyed.
Jesmond Micallef
May 3rd 2010, 14:28
What a lovely animal !!
I tend to think that maybe one way of making children and future generations sensitive to this is by bringing nature closer to them in the form of carefully prepared and maintained exhibits. Here, environmentally conditioned glass enclosures can display a multitude of the various endemic Maltese wildlife. Nature should not be hidden away by "protective law" (mind you Legal Protection is paramount) but really promoted and exposed in an educated manner. This way, people can truely appreciate and protect nature evenmore.
The oil spill at Wied il-Lunzjata was indeed very unfortunate and I congratulate the CPD and other departments for their efforts in containing the contamination.
Edward Mallia
May 3rd 2010, 14:03
Does San Martin refer to the Bahrija area? If not, why not? That used to be the fresh water crab's most noted habitat on Malta. Or has the excavation a few meters from the watercourse going down to Fomm ir-Rih, and Victor Scerri's modest 'tool shed' already driven the il-qabru to extinction there?