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By Audrey Agius
Fauna of the Maltese Islands
" Once upon a time - a million years ago or so
To a land without a name still joined to the mainland
A myriad of creatures would make their way
Then the water flowed and gave birth to a sea
This passage of land was no longer to be......."
The Quaternary deposits found at Ghar Dalam near Birzebbuga are the proof that thousands or millions of years ago Malta was joined to the mainland of Europe . Fossils belonging to bears, elephants, hippopotami, rodents, wolves and dear were unearthed and can be viewed in the museum adjacent to the cave.
During the time of the Knights another common practice was to let looses gazelles and antelopes in large private grounds as game for hunting purposes. Other domesticated animals such as cows, donkeys, goats, mules and country dogs were bred and in time Maltese breeds of these animals such as ‘Tal-Fenek’ (a brownish, or golden yellow dog similar to a greyhound) were established.
Although to the untrained eye the Maltese countryside is likely to appear void of any fauna due to a lack of big creatures; the Maltese Archipelago in fact boasts a number of endemic species i.e. they are found in this speck of a land and nowhere else in the world. I have tried to provide some information on the most common, as well as on some endemic species of fauna of the Maltese Islands , however being only an amateur the list is far from exhaustive and this information relies heavily on references I took from:
Lanfranco, G. (1969) Matese mammals. Progress Press Co. Ltd: Malta
Baldacchino, A., Lanfranco, E., & Schembri, P. (1990) Disovering nature in the Maltese Islands . Merlin Library Ltd: Blata l-Bajda.

I hope that in the future I will be able to provide some information about Birds of the Maltese Islands and hopefully as we go on with our walks we will come across and photograph some of these species.

*Qanfud tal-Ferq*	*Erinaceus algirus*		*Vagrant Hedgehog*
Only one specie of this mammal is found on the Maltese Islands , but there are two varieties identified by the colour of their spines which can be either whitish, or with a dark band running through them. 22.5cms long, it feeds on insects, snails, slugs, earthworms, as well as on fruit. Most active at night, and since Maltese Winters are quite mild, it does not hibernate. Eating prey that has come in contact with pesticides can be fatal for the hedgehog, as is crossing country roads, where they are often run over.

*Ballotra*	*Mustela nivalis*		*Weasel*
Appears on the 1cent coin. It is becoming rather rare due to a loss of habitat. In itself a wily creature so it is not easily seen. Usually nocturnal, it is a carnivorous which preys on every animal it manages to capture, including mice, rats, fledglings, as well as lizards, and frogs. The male of the specie grows up to 10inches, and the female up to 8inches. It is brownish in colour.

*Nemes*	*Putorius putorius furo*		*Ferret*
A domesticated form of the European polecat, usually sandy or yellowish-brown in colour. Being a carnivorous animal like the weasel it was used for rabbit hunting by releasing it at the entrance of a rabbit burrow thus flushing out the occupants which are then captured while making their exit. Grows about 1 foot long.

*Fenek Salvagg*	*Oryctolagus cuniculus*		*Wild Rabbit*
Common in some parts of Malta , but rare or absent in others. Originally from Spain , Portugal , and North West Africa , it could have been introduced to the rest of Europe by man. Growing up to 30cms or less, it inhabits garrigue, fields, and low grass areas. It feeds on all types of vegetation, and on succulent roots during dry months. Forages for food at dawn and at dusk, and it lives in family groups. Their droppings are deposited in piles and the male uses them to mark the boundaries of its family group territory.

*BATS*
Apparently some 14 species have been recorded in Malta , however some of them are migratory or vagrants. The ones which are most common, and which breed here belong to four species:

*Pipistrell*	*Pipistrellus pipistrellus*		*Common Pipistrell*
The smallest bat on the islands, most frequently seen near habitations, and shelters in cracks in bastions or old houses.

*Farfett il-lejl widnet il-Gurdien Kbir*	*Myotis myotis*		*Mouse-eared Bat*
Found to live in colonies in caves and catacombs.

*Farfett il-Lejl tan-Nala Zghir*	*Rhinolophus hipposideros*		*Horse-shoe Bat*
Gets its name from the shape of its nostrils. Relatively rare, lives in caves.

*Farfett il-Lejl tal-Widnejn Kbar*	*Plecotus austriacus*		*Grey Long-eared Bat*
Its long ears reach a third of the size of its body. Quite rare, usually found in ruins, cellars, and old building.

*RATS & MICE*
*Far Iswed*	*Rattus rattus*		*Black rat*
Variations in colour from black to brown. Lives close to habitations

*Far tal-Kampanja*	*Rattus norvegicus*		*Brown rat*
The most damaging specie of rats, quite robust and ferocious it can even kill poultry.

*Gurdien ta’ l-Imramma*	*Mus musculus*		*House mouse*
Some varieties in colour, common in houses and/or gardens.

*Gurdien tar-Raba*	*Apodemus sylvaticus*		*Wood mouse*
Similar to the House mouse but found in the open country.

*Gurdien ta’ Halqu Twil*	*Suncus etruscus*		*Etruscan Shrew / Savi’s Pigmy Shrew*
Probably the only specie of shrew to be found on the Maltese Islands , and also common in other parts of Southern Europe . It feeds mostly on insects, spiders, and small invertebrates. Prefers moist habitats in the country side such as valleys.

*ANTS*
Some 50 different species are found in the Maltese Islands ranging in size from 2mm to 1cm or more. The type of nest they build can be very different depending on the specie: some excavate underground tunnels, others build mounds of soil, some construct their nest in soft wood or cracks in the rock. One specie which is endemic to the Maltese Islands is quite peculiar since it makes use of the nests of other species rather than constructing its own.

*BUTTERFLIES*
About 19 different species breed regularly in the Maltese Islands , however some of these are Resident species, while others are Migrants. Usually every specie has its particular type of plant on which to feed itself, and on which it lays its eggs.

Migratory Species:
The Large Cabbage White: lays its eggs on cabbage and crucifer plants
The Small White
The Bath White
The Clouded Yellow
The Red Admiral: preferred plant is the stinging nettle
Painted Lady

Resident Species:
The Wall Butterfly
The Speckled Wood
The Meadow Brown
The Small Heath
The Common Blue
The Holly Blue
Lang’s Short-tailed Blu
Long-tailed Blue
Brown Argus
Small Copper
Swallowtail Butterfly: lays eggs on fennel plants or on the rue
Pigmy Skipper
The Cleopatra

*The Praying Mantis*
*Debba tax-Xitan / Debba ta’ l-Infern*
Although ‘Praying’ in English, the Maltese name for it is ‘Devil’s or Hell’s Mare” due to the diabolic aspect of its pointed head. 3 species are found in the Maltese Islands :

The Common Mantis: the largest and most common, it grows up to 10cms, and can be of a green or brown colour.
The Grey Praying Mantis		The Small Praying Mantis: 2-3cms

*SLUGS*
Molluscs, they belong to the same group of animals as the snails. 6 species have been found in Malta , 2 of which are endemic to the Maltese Islands . They limit themselves to humid areas, since they dry out in the sun. Most active during the night, when the temperature is low, and humidity is high. During Summer they may dig down in the soil up to 20 or 30cms. They eat mostly decaying vegetation, moss, fungi, and other plant material, however one of these species is carnivorous, and feeds itself on earthworms.

*LAND SNAILS*
There are about 45 known species of land snails on the Maltese Islands and a large number of these are endemic species which are only found in particular restricted areas, or on particular islands of the Archipelago (for e.g. 2 species are only found on Filfla).

The Edible Snail: most common, probably not a native specie – considered a delicacy

Sandhill Snail: Whitish, with a comma-shaped black mark at the tip of the shell
.
White Snail: Common specie of the Maltese garigue

Truncated Snail: also common in garigue areas; has an elongated cylindrical shape, and it is distinctive due to truncation of the shell, in which the first few whorls drop off as the snail ages

*THE MALTESE WALL LIZARD*
The Maltese Wall Lizard is endemic to the Maltese Islands, moreover different islands have different races living on them Thus those of Malta, Gozo, and Comino are of one race, while the Islands of Filfla, St. Paul’s islets, and Fungus Rock each has its own race of wall lizard. These tend to vary in size and color, for e.g. Filfla Lizards are dark green (almost black) with some blue-green spotting and measure between 25-28cms, while Maltese lizards are from 17-20cms. The males are of a greenish colour, while the females are brownish.

*THE MEDITERRANEAN CHAMELEON*
An Arboreal lizard, was introduced to Malta at around 1880 by some Jesuit Priests from North Africa . Since there was no other animal that occupied its ecological niche, it adapted itself well with the local fauna. Its diet consists of insects. The female lays between 20-30 eggs, usually in shallow pits at the base of trees or bushes.

*CRUSTACEANS*
Around 60 different species of Crab have been recorded in Maltese waters. Some of these are:

*CRUSTACEANS*
Around 60 different species of Crab have been recorded in Maltese waters. Some of these are:

The Mediterranean Shore Crab: most common crab on rocky shores
Green Crab: lives on muddy bottoms – common in harbours
Spiny Crab: hairy species, lives among sea-weed
Spiny Spider Crab: largest growing crab to be found in the Mediterranean (50cms)
Sponge Crab: deep water species, lives among sponges
Box Crab: fawn coloured with red blotches on the back and on the pincers
Swimming Crab: able to swim in the water rather than crawl.

*Qabru*	*The Mediterranean Fresh Water Crab*		*Potamon fluviatile lanfrancoi*
The only non-marine species that lives on the Maltese Islands – quite rare since it is only found in a few places where there is fresh-water all year round. It is depicted on the 5cents coin. Since it is quite different from those found in Sicily and North Africa , it is likely to be an endemic race.
*WOODLICE*
Also crustaceans, there are some 50 species found on the Maltese Islands 5 of which are endemic. A few are common in gardens and houses, while others have different habitats, such as in decomposing seaweed deposited on the shore, or the Sea-Slater which is common all round the cost. Among the endemic species one lives on caves, and another one lives in the fine dust that accumulates in cracks on the rock near the shore.