Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1525176
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 AUGUST 2024 5 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 931. Cardinalfish THE cardinalfish is a lovely creature. Liveried in dashing orange red from head to tail, and occurring in decent numbers even in shallow waters you would think it's hard to miss. Except you would miss it unless you know where to look. You see, for all its flashy Ferrari-red attire, the cardinalfish (M. sultan iċ-ċawl) is a shy, retiring animal that doesn't venture much out in the open – at least not during day- light hours. To see it you need to look under reefs and shady over- hangs, and when your eyes accustom to the semi-darkness you may spot two, ten or forty of these small sparks lurking there, watching you with their large round eyes as they scoop up microscopic plank- ton. Male cardinalfish have this endearing habit of keeping the eggs safe by holding them in their mouth until they hatch. Call for Volunteers: Be an actor for a day in our Micro- mobility videos Friends of the Earth Malta is producing three short videos about mi- cromobility: to explain what micromobility is, what the benefits of mi- cromobility are, and what can be done to improve road safety for mi- cromobility users! We are working with a professional videographer to create videos that raise awareness and promote inclusive micromobility solutions as an alternative to private car use. To bring these videos to life, we're looking for volunteer actors (for just 1-2hrs) who are passionate about micromobility and are willing to contribute a few hours of their time. Micromobility refers to the use of small vehicles like bicycles, e-bikes, and electric scooters, and even walking and wheelchair use. As Friends of the Earth Malta we are raising awareness about micromobility in our MICROMOBI project, where we show how these cool, fast and green transport modes can transform our cities for the better. Victor Falzon, Desirée Falzon (Photo) www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 798 Apply here: https://foemalta.org/blog/micromobi-volunteers/ 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 Valletta Early Opera Festival 2024 8,9 November Place: Teatru Manoel Out of the two dozen or so operas that Mozart composed, only a handful are typically performed. For the second edition of the Valletta Early Opera Festival, Festivals Malta in collaboration with Teatru Manoel presents an enchanting rendition of Il Re Pastore. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Stephen Schwartz: Defying Gravity 29 September Place: Mediterranean Conference Centre Broadway comes to Malta! The first of its kind on the Island STEPHEN SCHWARTZ: DEFYING GRAVITY - LIVE IN CONCERT celebrates the most recognizable popular musical theatre songs of our era, with the rare opportunity to spend an evening with the man who wrote them! A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK Zac Efron said he is "happy and healthy" after he was taken to hospital following a swimming incident over the weekend. Representatives of the 36-year-old American actor told TMZ that he had a "minor swimming incident" at a villa in Ibiza on Friday. Three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna were cancelled following a possible security threat.The shows, part of Swift's Eras tour, had been due to take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the Ernst Happel Stadium. He was taken to hospital as a "precautionary measure", they added. On Wednesday, two people were arrested on suspicion of planning attacks inspired by the Islamic State group on large events in the Austrian capital.