Safeguarding the wild side! St Paul’s Islands & Malta’s Northern Cliffs declared as Special Protection Areas
SPA status is reserved for places that are essential for wildlife.
Two of Malta’s most unique natural spots – St Paul’s Islands (sometimes referred to as Selmunett) and the dramatic stretch of cliffs from iċ-Ċumnija to ix-Xaqqa along the west coast of Malta – have just been given the highest level of environmental protection. Both sites are now officially recognised as Special Protection Areas (SPAs), adding an extra layer of safeguarding on top of their current Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) status.
SPA status is one of the strongest protections under the Natura 2000 network. It’s reserved for places that are essential for wildlife, especially birds, and it ensures these areas get stricter management, monitoring and conservation.
The upgrade comes after BirdLife Malta, through the LIFE PanPuffinus project, confirmed that the area is home to an important breeding population of the Yelkouan shearwater (il-garnija) – one of Malta’s most iconic and vulnerable seabirds. With the new status, conservation work for these birds will now be formally built into long-term site management plans.
Have you ever admired these photo-ready spots?