Turtle ‘Andrea’ Rescued From Crystal Lagoon

Apr 7 2025

Around 4pm yesterday, Wildlife Rescue Team Malta received a call by a tourist boat driver informing them that there was a turtle in Crystal Lagoon in Comino.

The turtle, subsequently named Andrea, was showing signs that it was unable to dive.

ERA were immediately informed and, with the help of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), the turtle was picked up and brought to shore.

‘Turtle Andrea was struggling to dive, and was found to have fishing line coming out of its cloaca’, WRTM explained. ‘She is now under the care of our vet, where the first step will be an x-ray to determine whether a hook is present or not. Those findings will then determine the next steps of Andrea’s treatment.’

All the animals rescued by the team are protected species and it is illegal to keep them as pets.

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Advanced Cardiac CT & MRI Services At Gozo’s Hospital

Apr 7 2025

Minister for Health and Active Ageing Jo Etienne Abela, has announced a major advancement in cardiac care for both Gozitan and Maltese patients with the launch of Cardiac CT and Cardiac MRI services at the Gozo General Hospital. This development marks a significant step towards enhancing healthcare accessibility and quality on the island.

Following the recent acquisition of two cutting-edge MRI and CT scanners, Gozo General Hospital is now in a position to offer detailed, non-invasive cardiac examinations.

These new services are expected to lead to earlier detection and more precise diagnoses of heart conditions, ultimately improving outcomes for patients.

Minister Abela highlighted that Cardiac CT allows for the rapid identification of coronary artery disease, particularly in patients with low to intermediate risk.

It also enables clearer imaging of heart valves and the aorta. Cardiac MRI, on the other hand, provides a deeper analysis of heart function, inflammation, scarring of the heart muscle, and valve performance.

The minister praised the collaboration between the Medical Imaging Departments in Malta and Gozo, led by Dr Melvin D’Anastasi, alongside the Department of Cardiology.

This partnership has been instrumental in bringing these advanced services to Gozo, significantly reducing the need for patients to travel to Malta for specialised tests.

He noted that a recent €5 million investment at the hospital has not only cleared the backlog for MRI and CT scans but also paved the way for these essential services to be introduced locally.

The government, he affirmed, remains committed to expanding healthcare provisions for all.

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Over 210,000 Tourists Visited Malta In February 2025

Apr 7 2025

According to the NSO, February 2025, Malta welcomed an estimated 210,305 inbound tourists—marking a 24.2% increase compared to the same month in 2024.

The United Kingdom remained the top source of visitors, contributing 42,881 arrivals. Poland followed as the second-largest market with 31,490 tourists, while Italy ranked third with 24,059 visits.

France contributed 16,627 visitors, Germany 12,248, and Spain 7,975.

The total number of nights spent by tourists in Malta during February 2025 reached 1,237,182. British tourists once again topped the list, accounting for the highest number of overnight stays with 234,398 nights.

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Another Barbed Wire Sea Creature Spotted In Local Waters

Apr 7 2025

Taking to social media, Alan Deidun shared another photo of yet another nasty, stinging, long siphonophore.

‘The barbed wire or stringy siphonophore (Apologia uvaria)’, writes Deidun, ‘it’s time of the year for this delicate, gelatinous creatures of the deep to rise to shallower waters.’

Deidun previously shared photos of a similar creature photographed in Maltese waters.

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