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Fried Egg Jellyfish Bloom In Comino

Fried Egg Jellyfish Bloom In Comino
Aug 22 2023 Share

Marine biologist Alan Deidun took to social media to share images of the fried egg jellyfish bloom in Comino yesterday. 

Known as ‘tal-lampuki’ or ‘qassata’ in Maltese, Deidun described the innocuous creatures as flying saucers peacefully making their way in the bright blue waters. 

The photos form part of the Spot The Jellyfish Citizen Science campaign, which urges citizen to share and learn about the different types of jellyfish which populate our island’s seas and coasts.

The fried egg jellyfish is immediately identifiable due to it resembling an egg yolk, with its sting being harmless to humans and even providing shelter to small fish in the open ocean.

Have you ever spotted one of these jellyfish?

#MaltaDaily  

World’s First Spotless Giraffe Born In Tennessee Zoo

World's First Spotless Giraffe Born In Tennessee Zoo
Aug 22 2023 Share

What is supposedly the world’s first spotless giraffe has been born in a Tennessee zoo, becoming the first enclosure to host such a rare specimen.

The female giraffe was born on the 31st of July and has a uniform brown colour. The young giraffe, born at Brights zoo, is missing the iconic spotted appearance which normally serves as camoflauge for wild giraffes. 

Already 6 feet tall, it is currently under the care of its mother and the zoo staff. The spots also operate as a form of thermal regulation as the skin under the markings utilise a blood vessel system that allows the animal to release heat through the centre. 

Furthermore, each pattern of patches is uniquely different for each giraffe – well, all of them except for this particular giraffe, whose name is still being picked.

Currently, the names in the ballot are Kipekee, meaning ‘unique’, Firayali, meaning ‘unusual’, Shakiri, meaning ‘she is most beautiful, or Jamella, for ‘one of great beauty’. 

Currently, giraffe populations in the wild are suffering ‘silent extinction’, due to it being such a slow decline. 40% of the wild giraffe population was lost in the last 30 years, with around 68,000 left in the wild. 

#MaltaDaily 

Restoration Well Underway On St Clement’s Żejtun Chapel

Restoration Well Underway On St Clement's Żejtun Chapel
Aug 22 2023 Share

Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici visited the ongoing restoration works on St Clement’s Chapel in Żejtun. The restoration works, which started last month, are being carried out by the Restoration and Preservation Department employees. The project is expected to be completed by next year.

This chapel is one of the 12 projects being carried out as part of the Restoration Works Scheme for Local Councils, which was issued last year. Since the launch of this scheme in 2015, a total of 43 projects have been completed.

Minister Owen Bonnici stated that these restoration projects within the various communities are welcomed by the residents. He continued that the projects completed over the years as part of this scheme have varied in nature and scale, ranging from small projects like traditional village crosses or statues to medium-scale endeavours involving historic buildings and monuments dating back to the Knights of St John.

Architect Ivana Farrugia, who was responsible for this project, explained that the focus is on restoring the chapel’s external structure. Presently, cleaning, consolidation, and repointing are being carried out on the outer walls. The roof, which has lost its original finish, will also be restored, along with replacing extensively damaged stones and reinstating lost elements. Additionally, monitoring is being conducted to ensure dormant cracks are maintained.

St Clement’s Chapel is located in the lower Żejtun area, referred to locally as ir-raħal t’isfel.  It was built in 1658 by Clement Tabone as gratitude to St Clement for surviving a Turkish attack on Malta in 1614. The year of construction is engraved in stone beneath the Tabone family coat-of-arms above the main entrance.

#MaltaDaily

Guy Runs Head First Into Punch Machine In St Julian’s, Malta

Guy Runs Head First Into Punch Machine In St Julian’s, Malta
Aug 21 2023 Share

A video has gone viral on social media showing a guy running head first into a punch machine in St Julian’s to…well, we guess to get the highest score possible?

The video was posted to ccgtrends, which boasts 20.2K followers on Instagram. The guy just runs towards the machine and slams into it, getting understandably dazed after the ordeal.

And while we admire the determination, we must stress that you shouldn’t be trying this. The risk of head injuries are very much heightened in such situations. 

Have fun, but stay safe. 

#MaltaDaily