Last summer, Sharklab-Malta carried out a set of research dives at the Marine Protected Area of Filfla with the aim of researching the population of rays and other species in the zone, building up on past research. With the assistance of volunteer local divers, they scoured the sea around Filfla to take stock of the Read More
Sharklab-Malta are invited the general diving public to participate in an international initiative aimed at gathering vital information about sharks, skates and rays around the world by utilizing citizen science, whilst raising conservation awareness about the importance of these creatures in our oceans. We are emailing you to raise awareness of an event called the Read More
Over the last few days, two sightings were reported of the Mediterranean Monk Seal, a highly endangered species which had not been seen in Malta for decades! In the first sighting out at sea, the seal was just spotted coming up for air, whilst in the second sighting, the seal was spotted in a cavern Read More
Transport Malta has recently announced Local Notice to Mariners number 017 of 2024. The annual notice states that sightings of Dolphins, Whales, Turtles, Sharks, Rays, Jellyfish blooms and other alien species seen or caught during fishing may be reported to Professor Adriana Vella of the University of Malta, whose contact details are published on the Read More
It’s not an unusual sighting around our coast, but truly, we love Slipper Lobstes too much as they are docile and super-photogenic wither their armor :). Ream more about them here. Thanks to our friend Victor Micallef for sharing the below video of this cutie.
Local diver Victor Micallef recently shared the following video with some information about the locally occurring Electric Ray. Let’s just say it’s a stunner 🙂 Thanks to Victor for sharing as per below.
Professor Alan Deidun recently shared on social media a photo and sighting reported by local diving instructor Lewis Mark Sell of a beautiful and unusual Sea Slug – Tethys fimbriae, which according to Prof. Deidun is a native species of the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. More information about this beautiful creature from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tethys_fimbria
The below picture was snapped at the Cirkewwa Marine Park on the 1st day of the year, and portrays a Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia Sp.), an infrequent type of jellyfish for our waters. More species information & opportunity to file reports for sightings of such species at www.ocean.mt
This triton’s trumpet does not make sounds (or at least, that we know of), but if it did, it would be playing a classical piece the likes of Mozart! Awesome pictures shared by Malta’s Marine Marvels – thanks for showing us the beauty of this mollusc, which many people only see as a dead shell Read More
Thanks to Victor Micallef for sharing this video online, and for the others participating in the post below for the identification on this Umbraculum sp.. A very nice animal indeed that many of us may have missed in the past! Now you know what to look for!
Thanks to DiveSystems Malta for the amazing feast for the eyes of divers – so many barracudas on the wreck of the Le Polynesien.
In a post on Facebook, Raniero Borg shared a video of a large turtle encountered near the Christ the seafarer statue off Qawra Point. Raniero also added in the video the result of a bit of TLC to the statue’s face. See the post below and the video! Thanks for sharing Raniero!
Remora are infrequently sighted along the Maltese coastline, but their presence normally is understood to mean that some bigger fish were passing by. The fish has a curious habit of using the suckers over its head to stick itself to larger fish, and sometimes even attempts to stick with divers 🙂 Nice picture of a Read More
NIght diving is a good opportunity for spotting some interesting life, amongst which this beautiful stingray! Thanks to Henry for sharing on Malta Marine Marvels! Click the link here for the video.
One of the beautiful creatures that many of us miss on our dives. Berthella ocellata, a sea slug that is a close relative to the nudibranch. Thanks belowesealevel.mt for sharing. Visit their website at www.belowsealevel.mt or FB page for some other great pictures of marine life around the islands.
Impressive video shared by DiveSystems this afternoon of a Mola Mola right next to the super-popular wreck of the Tug Boat Rozi at roughly 33m depth at the Cirkewwa Marine Park. The video, shared this morning, is picture perfect and shows a relaxed Mola Mola (also known as Sunfish), which apparently was curious. Amazing footage! Read More
Seahorses are nowadays a rarity to see, so it’s always heart warming to see footage showing them! It is even more heartwarming when footage and photos are shot responsibly. Reminder: do not use lights or flashes, keep distance, watch your fins (don’t hit other seahorses whilst filming their buddy) and report sightings to the Seahorse Read More
Although the Maltese Islands are not as renowned for regular abundance of marine life as much as other famous diving destinations such as Egypt and the Maldives, partly due to the pressure affecting the Mediterranean from overfishing and pollution, there are days when you will still be amazed. Raniero’s Adventures Facebook Page recently shared this Read More
Dolphins in the Malta-Gozo Channel are not a rarity, and although many sightings, including ones at the Ċirkewwa Marine Park, do not hit the news, this one did. Timesofmalta.com reports that passengers on the Gozo Ferry were delighted last Sunday by a pod of four dolphins that swam alongside the ferry before berthing in Ċirkewwa. Read More
Marine Biologist Alan Deidun shared this picture of a Sawback Angel Shark who was caught in Maltese waters as bycatch. It was nice to hear from Prof. Deidun that the fisherman involved has released it back alive! He also shared some interesting information, including a reminder that it is a proected and endangered species! A Read More
Absolutely lovely sighting, seeing these creatures so close to one of the best diving sites around our islands, the Um el Faroud artificial reef off Wied iz-Zurrieq, l/o Qrendi. Video by ABC Diving posted on Facebook here
The above picture and post explains it all. Seahorses getting decimated by indiscriminate anchoring. Mgarr ix-Xini needs either a ban on anchoring or fixed moorings to protect seahorses, which unlike fish, are not fast swimmers and cannot avoid being trampled by anchors and chains. The Conservation objectives and measures for Malta’s marine Natura 2000 sites Read More
A diver recently posted on social media in a closed group a video of a recent sighting of a Mola Mola near the M/T Hephaestus wreck. A big thank you to Holger Ullrich for sharing the video! What a beautiful fish!
Raniero’s Adventures shared the below post on Facebook with a sighting of the Moon Jellyfish, as confirmed as well by Marine Biologist Prof. Alan Deidun in comments to the post. Have you ever seen one yourself? Prof. Deidun also gave more information on the species, highlighting that the species is pretty much innocuous too. Thanks Read More
It’s always great when you find a new species to you. A headshield sea slug, Aglaja tricolorata.These live on a sandy bottom and borrow into the sand. They grow to 40mm in length and have a very fine “tail” which can be up to twice their body length. Although called a tricolor, they are always Read More
Professor Alan Deidun shared yet another unusual Jellyfish, courtesy of a report by Andrew Zammit. This one doesn’t rust but it stilll stings badly – approach with caution!
An amazing sighting shared by Techwise Malta via Facebook – a beautiful encounter with Devil Rays near the JU88 Wreck. Sometimes those long decompression stops can be a wonder in themselves… click on the image to see. Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1281015769459509
In a post on Facebook, Marine Biologist Alan Deidun anounced that the Spot the Jellyfish campaign website is currently offline. Until this is fixed, you can send your sightings reports through the campaign’s Facebook Page, by email to Prof. Deidun as per below or via SMS/Whatsapp on 79604109
Shared on Facebook by Alan Deidun on 09/04/2023 An incredible creature indeed…..a bioluminescent comb jelly colony going by the name of Venus girdle (Cestum veneris), a gelatinous creature which, however, does not sting, using the light it generates to attract potential prey…..further information about this species can be found on page 32 of our online Read More
Marine Biologist Professor Alan Deidun recently shared the below Facebook post & picture of a beached Jawless Sea Lamprey – definitely not a top model for underwater photographers! Thanks for sharing Alan! Always sharing interesting stuff! More information on Wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_lamprey
They are masters of camouflage, but also unfortunately very rare and an endangered species even though protected by national legislation! The SeaHorse Trust: Project Malta has shared the below sighting, the first for 2023. Remember the cardinal rules for Seahorse sightings: don’t get too close, no lights or strobes, if it’s turning its back to Read More
From LovinMalta Heaps of huge jellyfish were spotted in Comino and all around Malta yesterday, meaning the annual mass spawning arrived much earlier than expected. ”Seems that the annual mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) mass spawning (release of eggs) is in full swing already this year, courtesy of the calm weather we have had over the Read More
LovinMalta reports that fishermen have spotted a Shark (potentially a Mako Shark) off Delimara Bay, Marsaxlokk, in the south of Malta. You may watch the video on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ck0MGMHDg5i/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b4f321ce-3603-420c-bb6d-6a2a1537f255 Thanks to the fishermen for spotting it and sharing the video!
TVMNews.mt shared a video of Fishermen saving a Dolphin from certain death, after it had gotten itself entangled in the ropes of fishing markers. The article (in Maltese), reports that two hobby fishermen saw the dolphin struggling at the surface outside of Mellieha Bay after it got entangled in the ropes, and they swiftly went Read More
The University of Malta announced that a new fish for the Mediterranean – the white unicorn Naso annulatus – has been caught in Maltese waters and reported through the Spot the Alien Fish Campaign, a national citizen science campaign coordinated by Prof. Alan Deidun, Dr. Adam Gauci, Mr. Johann Galdies and Mr. Martin Galea De Read More
From timesofmalta.com A rare and endangered species of stingray has been spotted in Maltese waters. The bull ray or Aetomylaeus bovinus was spotted by free diver Glorianne Sciberras who shared footage of the creature skimming along the sandy bottom of a Maltese bay during a night dive. The bull ray can usually be distinguished from Read More
The Giant Tun (Tonna Galea) is a large species of sea snail that we occasionally encounter in the Maltese Islands, however, seeing them getting friendly or in pairs is not something common at all. Thanks Mr. James Bonello for sharing on social media as per the video posted on Facebook that you can see here.
The Dotted Sea Cow Peltodoris atromaculata is not a rare species around the Maltese Islands. It is frequently spotted in various sites, but most normally seen in the Dwejra area and other West facing cliffs / wall dive spots. But boy… seeing more than 10 of them in a distance of a few meters at Read More
From Prof. Alan Deidun’s Facebook Post The cigar jellyfish (Olindias phosphorica) makes its first appearance this summer……spotted at Ghadira….the species inflicts a mild sting only, which is best treated with vinegar in this case (consult page 5 of our online jellyfish sting treatment booklet – https://oceania.research.um.edu.mt/jell…/docs/firstaid.pdf); besides Ghadira, the species is also common in bays Read More
This Comb jellyfish is a bit late this year, more normally seen in the winter months up to spring. It has a Mild sting, but is a joy to watch live when the sunlight makes its edges shine in a multitude of colours.
Seen on a recent dive at a very shallow depth of about 6m… your safety stop could be the highlight of your dive! Thanks for sharing.
Over the past few weeks, quite a few sightings were reported of barracuda schools being seen close to shore at a few sites. Video below from the first Boat dive of the season by the Amphibians Diving Club. Want to see them first hand? Join a diving club or start your training.
During our dives and whilst travelling from site to site, you may see some interesting marine life which is also interesting for academic researchers. We include below some information as to who is interested in getting to know about some special marine life. Alternatively, if you can’t choose, or wish the sighting to be shared Read More
From Maltatoday An unexpected number of jellyfish in Maltese waters over the past few weeks was caused by the fact that the sea temperature went down to 14.6°C during the first two weeks of March, marine biologist Alan Deidun told MaltaToday. Temperature changes in the sea affect the development of many species, including that of Read More
This Bull Ray video was taken at the Cirkewwa Marine Park just a few weeks ago – notice how elegant the ray’s swimming is, but how things change in a split-second!