Crab burrows crushed under concrete

The students I walk with along the beautiful valley of Baħrija always ask me that unanswerable question: "How has this been allowed to happen?"

We stared with disbelief last year when we saw masses of blue clay and stone being bulldozed in front of our eyes just a couple of metres away from one of the most important freshwater springs in Malta and right in the middle of one of Malta's supposedly top protected sites.

We observed crabs in their burrows on site even during the development stage - and now you can see the result this year. The burrows have been crushed under concrete.

May I ask who is monitoring the area and who was monitoring it during works? What was done to protect this species and its habitat and to avoid spillage into the water stream?

Reports had been lodged also to Mepa to inspect the area as the water flow is terribly slow, in some areas practically stagnant and residents have reported sewage leakages on site.