Discover Malta’s Natural Heritage

Our Commitment

At Ramla Bay Resort, we recognise that our location on Malta’s northern coast brings us close to some of the islands’ characteristic landscapes and wildlife. With that privilege comes a responsibility to help protect them. Across the Maltese Islands, environmental NGOs, conservation groups, rangers and volunteers work throughout the year to protect habitats and wildlife. Their work includes restoring natural areas, monitoring species, rescuing injured animals, raising awareness and helping people enjoy nature responsibly. Their work is an important part of safeguarding the landscapes and species featured in this guide. As visitors, residents and businesses, we all have a part to play by respecting protected areas, avoiding disturbance to wildlife and supporting the people and organisations working to conserve Malta’s natural heritage.
PROTECT
We consider biodiversity in the way we manage
our grounds and operations.
RESPECT
We follow a non-interference approach to wildlife.
SHARE
We help our guests and team discover Malta’s natural heritage
and enjoy it responsibly.
The best wildlife encounters leave no trace.
Take only photos. Leave Malta’s nature as you found it.

Explore Responsibly

STAY ON PATHS
Sensitive plants, bulbs and small animals may be present even where ground looks bare. Rocks provide shelter for reptiles, insects and other small animals.
LEAVE PLANTS WHERE THEY GROW
Some Maltese plants are rare, endemic or protected. Take a photograph instead.
OBSERVE WILDLIFE FROM A DISTANCE
Do not chase, catch or move wild animals, whether on land or at sea.
NEVER FEED WILDLIFE
Feeding can change natural behaviour and may harm animals.
TAKE LITTER WITH YOU
Plastic, fishing line, hooks and cigarette ends can be especially harmful.
RESPECT NATURE AFTER DARK
Keep noise and strong lighting to a minimum around natural areas and coastal cliffs.
ALERT
Alert a competent organisation should you find an animal in distress or observe an activity that might be illegal. More information on the last page.

Flora

Malta’s plants have learned to live with extremes: shallow soil, strong winds, salt spray and months with very little rain. Some retreat underground during the hottest part of the year; others carry small, tough or aromatic leaves that help conserve water. Among them are species found nowhere else on Earth, making even an apparently bare stretch of rocky countryside worth a closer look. Feel free to browse through the next few pages of flora, remembering always to walk carefully in order to leave nature as undisturbed as possible.

MALTESE PYRAMIDAL ORCHID (ENDEMIC | PROTECTED)

One of Malta’s distinctive wild orchids, flowering during the wetter months and into spring. Wild orchids should always be admired where they grow. Where to look: Garrigue and open countryside

MALTESE SPURGE (ENDEMIC | PROTECTED)

A compact shrub of Malta’s rocky countryside. It is endemic to the Maltese Islands and is particularly associated with garrigue. Where to look: Garrigue and exposed rocky ground.

MEDITERRANEAN THYME (NATIVE | PROTECTED)

One of the characteristic plants of Maltese garrigue. Its purple flowers are an important nectar source for bees and other insects, and its scent is often noticeable on warm days. Where to look: Rocky garrigue and open limestone countryside.

ALEPPO PINE (NATIVE | PROTECTED)

The Aleppo Pine is one of the characteristic trees of the Mediterranean landscape and is well adapted to Malta’s long, dry summers. Its spreading canopy provides shelter and habitat for birds and other wildlife, while its evergreen foliage brings year-round structure to wooded areas. Where to look: Woodland, sheltered valleys and established wooded areas.

CAROB TREE (NATIVE | PROTECTED)

A familiar feature of Malta’s countryside, the evergreen Carob is well adapted to the islands’ hot, dry climate. Its broad canopy provides shade and shelter for wildlife, while its distinctive dark pods have long been part of Malta’s rural and culinary traditions. Where to look: Maquis, valleys, field margins and countryside.

SANDARAC GUM TREE (PROTECTED | NATIONAL TREE)

The Għargħar is Malta’s national tree and one of the distinctive trees of the Mediterranean region. Well adapted to hot, dry conditions, it has small evergreen leaves that help limit water loss. Where to look: Mediterranean woodland

Fauna

Malta’s wildlife rarely announces itself. Much of it is small, nocturnal, seasonal or exceptionally well camouflaged. A lizard may disappear between stones before you notice it; a bat may pass overhead at dusk; an owl may be heard but never seen. Slowing down, listening and looking carefully often reveals far more than expected.

The Maltese Honey Bee

Found only in the Maltese Islands, the Maltese Honeybee developed its distinctive characteristics through thousands of years of geographical isolation.

Generally darker than many other European honeybees, it is well adapted to Malta’s hot, dry summers and challenging Mediterranean conditions.

Like other honeybees, it collects nectar and pollen from flowering plants, making it an important pollinator of both wild plants and crops. It can be encountered wherever flowers provide suitable forage, from garrigue and countryside to agricultural land and gardens.

The Maltese Honey Bee

The Maltese Honey Bee has a distinct genetic identity. Its isolation has also given the Maltese Honeybee a distinct genetic identity.

Because different honeybee subspecies can interbreed, the introduction of foreign honeybees can lead to genetic mixing with the local population.

Protecting the Maltese Honeybee therefore means protecting not only the bees themselves, but also the unique genetic characteristics that have developed in the Maltese Islands over time.

ALGERIAN HEDGEHOG (PROTECTED)

Mainly active after dark. A healthy hedgehog usually needs no intervention: give it space and allow it to continue on its way. Where to look: Countryside, garrigue and gardens

LEAST WEASEL (NATIVE | PROTECTED)

The Least Weasel is Malta’s only native terrestrial carnivore and one of the island’s more elusive mammals. Small, slender and remarkably quick, it may be active by day or night and feeds on rodents, insects, lizards and other small animals. It is rarely seen and is threatened particularly by habitat loss. Where to look: Countryside, fields, wooded areas and other well-vegetated habitats.

MEDITERRANEAN CHAMELEON (PROTECTED)

Slow movement and excellent camouflage make chameleons surprisingly difficult to spot. Enjoy watching them without touching or moving them. Where to look: Trees, shrubs and maquis

OCELLATED SKINK (NATIVE | PROTECTED)

Malta’s only native skink is much more secretive than the wall lizard. Its smooth, shiny body is olive-brown with distinctive pale and dark spots, while its very short legs give it an almost snake-like movement. Where to look: Rocky countryside, rubble walls, beneath stones and among vegetation.

MALTESE WALL LIZARD (NATIVE | PROTECTED)

Often seen basking on limestone before vanishing into a crack or beneath vegetation. Island populations can show distinctive colours and markings. Where to look: garrigue, rocky ground, gardens and walls

LEOPARD SNAKE (NATIVE | PROTECTED)

Named for its attractive pattern. Malta’s snakes are part of the natural ecosystem: if you encounter one, simply give it space and allow it to move away.Where to look: garrigue, valleys and countryside

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE (STRICTLY PROTECTED)

Loggerhead Turtles occur in Maltese waters and females occasionally nest on local beaches. Keep your distance and never chase, touch or feed a turtle. Where to look: Mediterranean Sea

MALTESE FRESHWATER CRAB (ENDEMIC | PROTECTED NATIONAL CRUSTACEAN)

One of Malta’s most unusual animals lives far from the sea. This endemic subspecies depends on the islands’ scarce freshwater habitats. Where to look: Freshwater valleys, springs and watercourses

MEDITERRANEAN KILLIFISH (PROTECTED | NATIONAL FISH)

A small fish adapted to shallow coastal waters where salinity, temperature and water level can change considerably. It occurs in protected wetland habitats including Għadira and Simar. Where to look: Brackish wetlands

BLUE ROCK THRUSH (PROTECTED | NATIONAL BIRD)

Malta’s national bird is strongly associated with rocky landscapes. The male’s blue-grey plumage can be striking when it perches on exposed cliffs or stone. Where to look: Cliffs, rocky valleys and coast

SCOPS OWL (PROTECTED | MIGRATORY)

One of Europe’s smallest owls passes through Malta during migration. Its mottled colouring makes it difficult to see; its call often gives it away first. Where to look: Wooded and vegetated areas

YELKOUAN SHEARWATER (STRICTLY PROTECTED)

This Mediterranean seabird spends most of its life at sea and returns to caves and cliff crevices to breed. Northern Malta supports important colonies. Artificial light can disorientate birds leaving nesting areas. Where to look: Open sea and cliffs

Trekking Tips

Plan your trek well! Take safety precautions especially if you plan to trek along the lower coastal areas (bouldering), bring plenty of water, wear a sunhat and good walking shoes, make sure your mobile is fully charged and be prepared that some areas won't have reception. Stay safe! Follow the pathways! During spring-time there are ground nesting birds in Malta and plenty of flowers in bloom. Trampling, especially during this time of the year, may cause great disturbance to the biodiversity and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Do not dispose of anything in nature, not even organic waste. Such waste attracts rats and they can cause great damage to ground nesting birds. If you spot any wildlife along the trail, observe and take photos, but do not pick it up. Wildlife are to be left undisturbed! Many species are protected by law and handling them (unless injured) is illegal (S.L. 549.44).
Information provided by Malta Ranger Unit

Fishing

In Malta, fishing activities are regulated by Cap. 425 Fisheries Conservation and Management Act. For full information about fisheries activities and its legislation, especially on a commercial level, we advise you to seek information from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA). We also remind you that you are obliged to make yourself familiar with the minimum size chart for the fish you aim to catch. For further information about best practices related to fishing in Malta, please follow this link: https://www.rangers.mt/info/outdoor-activities/fishing

Information provided by Malta Ranger Unit

Northern Malta

Places to Visit

GHADIRA NATURE RESERVE

WETLAND | SALTMARSH | MIGRATORY BIRDS

Beside Mellieħa Bay, Għadira protects one of Malta's rare wetland environments.

FORESTA 2000

WOODLAND | GARRIGUE | MAQUIS | STEPPE

Restored Mediterranean woodland meeting open garrigue and steppe.

MAJJISTRAL PARK

GARRIGUE | COAST | RURAL LANDSCAPE

Malta's protected north-west coast where land and sea meet.

SIMAR NATURE RESERVE

WETLAND | REEDBEDS | BIRDLIFE

Reedbeds and wetlands supporting birds, fish, insects and native plants.

NGOs & Contacts

This booklet is an introduction rather than an encyclopedia. If a species, habitat or place has caught your interest, there is much more to discover. The organisations below provide reliable information about Malta’s wildlife, protected areas, conservation work and responsible ways to explore the islands. Should you wish to support their work, your generosity is always appreciated and links to donation platforms can be found within their websites.

If you find a wild animal (including hedgehogs, bats, reptiles, weasels and turtles) needing to be rescued, please call Malta's Wildlife Rescue Team on: (+356) 9999 9505.

If you find an injured bird, please call Birdlife on + 356 2134 7645, ext. 507 (daytime) and +356 7925 5697 (weekends/evenings).

If you come across activities which seem illegal, you are welcome to send a message to Malta Ranger Unit on (+356) 7937 8118 and the Malta Ranger Unit will follow up.

Photo Credits

Discover Malta’s Natural Heritage: Ferenc Horvarth, Unsplash

Our Commitment: Gabby Grech Larsson

Explore Responsibly: Peter Grech

Flora: Gabby Grech Larsson

Maltese Pyramidal Orchid: Wirestock via Canva.com

Maltese Spurge: Wirestock via Canva.com

Mediterranean Thyme: Malta Ranger Unit

Aleppo Pine: lHervas via Canva.com

Carob Tree: bokeh105 via Canva.com

Sandarac Gum Tree: Canva Stock Photography

Fauna (Chameleon): Gabby Grech Larsson

Maltese Honey Bee Image 1: Monica Arong Darmanin

Maltese Honey Bee Image 2: Abner Joe Buttigieg

Algerian Hedgehog: Environment and Resources Authority, Malta

Least Weasel: Steve Zammit Lupi

Chameleon: Gabby Grech Larsson

Skink: Environment and Resources Authority, Malta

Wall Lizard: Environment and Resources Authority, Malta

Leopard Snake: Environment and Resources Authority, Malta

Turtle: Gabby Grech Larsson

Maltese Freshwater Crab: Environment and Resources Authority, Malta

Mediterranean Killifish: Environment and Resources Authority, Malta

Blue Rock Thrush: Camilla Appelgren, Malta Ranger Unit

Scops Owl: Canva Stock Photography

Yelkouan Shearwater: Saxifraga - Mark Zekhuis

Trekking: Gabby Grech Larsson

Fishing: Canva Stock Photography

Northern Malta: Malta Ranger Unit

Contacts: Abner Joe Buttigieg