Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1428470
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 NOVEMBER 2021 13 ALMANAC Fast art Nature Notebook 788. Jack Snipe THERE'S a group of birds that live away from trees, spending virtually all their life with their feet in mud or shallow water. For this reason birders often call them waders. Waders come in different sizes and most have longish legs and beaks, special adaptations that help them work their patch and pincer their food from the water or the wet sand and mud. Many wader species visit our shores as they travel to and fro Europe and Africa, one of which is the jack snipe (M. cinkonja), a scarce customer that prefers to travel and forage alone. It's a bit of a skulker, hugging well vegetated shorelines which, along with its excel- lent camouflage, makes it hard to see, especially if standing still. But if you get lucky and spot it bobbing about in the shallows on it springy legs, you'd appreciate its pièce de résistance – its stunning long beak. Victor Falzon, Aron Tanti www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 680 Subscribe to our newsletter to keep updated on cam- paigns such as these on www.foemalta.org/support Why big biotech won't solve the climate crisis TO fight the climate crisis and maintain food production, biotech industry claims to have the magical solution: New Genetically Modi- fied Organisms (New GMOs). The new generation of GMO are often referred to as 'gene editing', 'new-' or 'precise breeding techniques'. These techniques are used to alter the genetic material of plants, an- imals and microbes by the use of a synthetic molecular guide. This approach only partially addresses the issue of climate change and on- ly in the short-term, with poor regard for the long-term impact of the use of such technologies. In fact, genome editing is rather focusing on performance, yield and profit, while obstructing real and already proven solutions like agroecology! Manipulating the DNA of plants and animals will only encourage intense factory farming, leading to further increasing emissions, de- forestation and the loss of biodiversity - ultimately, maintaining the vicious cycle of industrial farming. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Don't miss this The Firebird in Gozo 19-20 November 2021 Place: Teatru tal-Opra Aurora Presented in collaboration with the Ministry for Gozo The MPO returns to Gozo with Principal Conductor Sergey Smbatyan in a concert presenting Stravinsky's Suite for orchestra from the ballet The Firebird, based on the story of Prince Ivan's search for this rare magical bird to help him free the imprisoned princesses. The Russian folklore theme continues as highly acclaimed South Korean violinist Bomsori Kim joins for Tchaikovsky's beloved Violin Concerto, a work imbued with poignant melodies culminating in a brilliant finale of folk-like dance motifs. Vivien Helter Interesting Cat Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Medium: Digital Instagram: @linoneko Illustrated works by Malta Community of Illustration members