A Night Heron was spotted this weekend at Il-Magħluq in Marsaskala, Nature Trust (Malta) has said. 

Although this bird is common during the Spring and Autumn migrations, it is not so common at Il-Magħluq.

The site, a salt marsh and one of Malta's Natura 2000 sites, has been the focus of a Nature Trust (Malta) campaign, with the organisation saying a culvert system allowing water to flow has become blocked and that the area has been used as a dump site by litterers. 

The marsh is also home to the killifish (bużaqq), a small fish endemic to the Mediterranean. Last year NTM partnered with the Malta Aquaculture Research Centre at San Lucjan to try and save this fish from eventual extinction.

NTM is also trying to get this fish declared as Malta's national fish.

The organisation called on authorities to approve management plans for the site and to allocate funds for its management.

"Il-Magħluq is one of our few remaining salt marshes and is crying for restoration and conservation measures," the organisation said. 

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