Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/463339
IX This week maltatoday, Sunday, 15 February 2015 Legs! Such a bewildering array of shapes, sizes and number. But for all the variety, their main function is mainly to get an animal from point A to point B. We do quite well with just one pair (I wouldn't mind another pair sometimes), many don't need any at all, others need more. The record- holders are the millipedes – despite the name, they don't have 1000 legs, but a whopping 750 is just as impressive. Next in line come the related centipedes, and one of these lives a happy and active life in our own homes. This is the House Centipede, a common animal that's fascinating even to watch walking. The almost mesmeric Mexican-wave-like motion of its legs as it walks is what led to one of its Maltese names – Xini (the other being Centupied) – as it looks like the a galley with oars at full strain. Many people automatically label them vermin and reach for the spray, but hey: give the animal a break. How about we learn to extend reverence to animals that score low on the Aww! factor. The House Centipede may not be cuddly but it's no vermin either. Au very-much- contraire it's a predator that likes nothing better than to rid your home of pests like cockroaches, clothes moths and silverfish (kamla). Oh, they don't have 100 legs by the way – just 30 (still a major undertaking for new shoes, though :) 441. HOUSE CENTIPEDE GREEN IdEA of THE wEEK 344: Read moRe – read more about the stories of the ugandan communities affected by these land grabs - http://www.foeeurope.org/no- news-bad-news-land-grabs-palm-oil-uganda uganda is one of the countries of the new frontier of palm oil destruction in africa: as in nigeria, Cameroon, and Liberia, South-east asian palm oil companies are leasing or buying land to produce palm oil, thereby causing the same destructive effects on communities and the environment as have been seen in Indonesia and Malaysia. In uganda, the oil palm giant Wilmar International is developing palm oil plantations in the highly biodiverse Kalangala islands and in buvuma, another island in Lake Victoria. The project is a partnership between Wilmar, the ugandan government, the International Fund for agricultural development (IFad) and the Kenyan oilseeds company bidco. The agreement commits to planting 40,000 hectares of palm oil in total. affected people from different communities spoke about stories of how they lost their land to the project and received inadequate compensation – if any – and are now therefore unable to provide an alternative livelihood. The local elites have little concern for their livelihoods, and instead joke about how men drank away their compensation money in bars, got themselves a second wife or otherwise managed to fritter it away. Or they scold communities for having signed the agreements in first place, only to start complaining later. naPe/Friends of the earth uganda has supported the communities on Kalangala and buvumba since the start of the project in 2011. They have provided legal training on both islands and established a committee which confirmed Friends of the earth's allegations of land grabbing, and put forth demands that land taken from community members should be returned to them along with compensation for lost crops. To date, their recommendations have fallen on deaf ears. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us www.foemalta.org. You can also support us by sending a blank SMS donation on 50618070 (€4.66) or 50619223 (€11.65). Text and photo Victor Falzon No news is bad news: land grabs and palm oil expansion in Uganda The Majjistral Park and Nature Re- serve's next event will take place on March 7 from 17:00 till late. Visitors will meet at 17:00 for a brief walk to the nearby cliffs until sunset to look out for orchids and Blue Rock Thrushes and then will start with a brief lecture by researcher Dr Benjamin Metzger at the centre at 17:45. After the lecture, visitors will car- pool for a site visit after dark and will proceed to the northern cliffs as they wait and listen out for some very special resident birds to return to their colony along the cliffs in the dark. The mysteri- ous seabird in question is the Yelkouan Shearwater (MT: Garnija): with ap- proximately 10% of the global popula- tion breeding in the Maltese Islands, the park acts as one of their chosen spots for breeding. The event will be led by BirdLife (Malta) Head of Research Dr. Benjamin Metzger who is actively researching seabirds in Malta as part of the EU Life+ Malta Seabird Project. With this project and in collaboration with MSDEC, SPEA and the RSPB, BirdLife Malta aims to create an inventory of marine Important Bird Areas in Maltese waters. Rugged shoes, warm clothes and a torch with a red filter are recommended. This event is by booking only as places are limited – details will be sent upon booking on walks@majjistral.org. This is a free event but a donation is suggested. An evening with the shearwaters at Majjistral Park About Majjistral Park The Majjistral Nature and History Park was set up in 2007 as a National park which is freely accessible to all – an area which comprises a large stretch of land between Golden Bay and Anchor Bay and inland towards Manikata. One of the aims of the park is to promote outdoor activities in respect of nature and with the aim to learn more about the fragile beauty which surrounds us as well as the numerous rarities and rich biodiversity with which our islands are endowed. The park organised regular guided walks and na- ture activities and also accepts private bookings for groups. Most of the walks start from the park Visitor Centre located in the old military barracks of Il-Kamp ta' Ghajn Tuffieha. The northwest coast offers amaz- ing wide ranging views and a glimpse into some of the last remaining wild patches of our islands as well as traditional agricultural landscapes with the typical corbelled stone hut. The Park has various featurs of cultural importance prevalent of which is the military heritage dating from British times.