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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 SEPTEMBER 2021
EYEWITNESS
Nature Trust - FEE Malta has released
the first juvenile freshwater crabs
into the wild as part of a project
supported by the HSBC Malta
Foundation and being carried out in
collaboration with the Aquaculture
Directorate in Marsaxlokk.
The recently released crabs had
been cultured in a laboratory to help
identify the best ways to restore and
preserve the habitat of the endemic
Qabru species.
The three-year-long project, which
was launched in early 2020, focuses
on educating the public about the
threats looming over the freshwater
crab, as well as on raising awareness
of the impact of climate change on
the environment in Malta and Gozo.
The first phase of the project
consisted of capturing two females
carrying newly-hatched juveniles
in the summer of 2020. The two
females were immediately released
after giving birth to the juvenile
crabs who have been cultured in a
lab at Forti San Lucjan.
In early August 2021, a percentage
of the juveniles raised in the lab
were released into the wild, at the
same place where the two females
had been collected. The rest of the
juveniles are being kept in the lab
for further study on their culture and
behaviour.
The project is now entering its
second phase, which is focusing
on further research. Studies on the
existing natural habitat of the 'Qabru'
are being undertaken so scientists
can better understand the threats
that the species is facing and to
establish what mitigation measures
can be implemented to save both the
animal and its habitat.
Juvenile crabs
released into
the wild