A Marine Sanctuary close to the Maltese Islands

Did you know that close to the Maltese Islands is a marine hotspot, meaning an area that has one of the highest biodiversity (the variety of life, which is measured as the variety within species, between species, and of ecosystems) levels in the region? That’s right! Lying at the heart of the Sicily Channel, nestling between Italy, Malta and Tunisia is an area that has an incredible wide variety of marine flora and fauna and is a very important feeding ground for many protected species, including the fin whale (Balaeonoptera physalus), which is endangered worldwide. That’s right, for those of you who thought otherwise, we do have whales in the Mediterranean. The fin whale is so endangered that only around 3,500 individuals are left in the Mediterranean.

Now, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the famous global organisation working for the protection of nature, is urging the governments of Italy, Malta and Tunisia to declare this area as a marine sanctuary. This is very important to help protect all the creatures living within this area. The Head of WWF Mediterranean, Paolo Lombardi said that, “With almost a third of the oil shipping vessels crossing this area every day, and with ongoing collisions with whales, the threat to unique habitats and species is high. If we don’t act now, a crucial marine hotspot could disappear.”

Click here for more information about marine reserves in the Mediterranean as suggested by GREENPEACE

Reference: ( WWF – the environmental conservation organisation. Some rights reserved.).