Examining the future of Malta's pelagic seabirds in response to increasing urban development

Abstract

Malta, an archipelago in the Mediterranean Basin, was once a haven to large colonies of the pelagic seabirds Calonectris diomedea (Scopoli’s shearwater), Puffinus yelkouan (Yelkouan shearwater), and Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis (Mediterranean storm petrel). These seabirds, which previously thrived in the southern cliffs and garrigue screes of the Maltese islands, have been declining rapidly due to light and sound pollution from increasing urbanization, illegal bird shooting, fishing by-catch, and predation from cats, dogs, rats, and other seabirds. This capstone project examined light and sound pollution at five Natura 2000 sites throughout the Maltese archipelago to suggest conservation measures and make predictions about the future populations of the seabirds under study in Malta. Several methods were utilized to understand indicators of urbanization at the study sites, including GIS interfaces, historical and scientific records, and field light and sound data collection at two study sites in Malta. The increase in nearby light intensity, sound intensity, and human disturbance has rendered two out of the five study sites unsuitable, and the remaining three sites will follow quickly if aggressive conservation measures are not immediately put into place to safeguard the future of these seabirds. Without immediate and consistent conservation efforts, it is highly likely that Calonectris diomedea and Puffinus yelkouan will be extirpated from Malta within the next 25-30 years, while the future of H. p. melitensis is less certain. Extirpation of these seabirds would be a cultural and ecological detriment to Malta’s unique Mediterranean ecosystem and would threaten the stability of these seabirds’ declining populations worldwide.