BICREF was invited to give a talk and show its ECO Malta documentaries at the SkolaSajf of B'Bugia. After this activity the children were asked to write down the most important points learned and draw a picture conveying their feelings toward local biodiversity.

The best three works where rewarded with prizes by BICREF and went to:

1)Curt Buhagiar for managing to portray the full message of biodiversity and the best way of enjoying it (pic 1);

2)Henna Tonna for managing to give the feel of how varied biodiversity is and how easily it can be spoiled through our careless behaviours. (pic 2)

3)Nicole Park for managing to illustrate the brilliant diversity of colours, shapes and beauty one can enjoy through scuba diving if indeed we take care of our sea.
(pic 3)

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Shining Seas!

Students at Skola Sajf in Birzebbuga recently enjoyed a discussion with Dr. Adriana Vella,of the Biological Conseration Research Foundation.

When the talk ended, several of the students, aged 8 to 12 years, each wrote a short sentence to make up an article for Junior News. This is their message:

We must keep the sea clear and full of biodiversity, that is different creatures and plants, etc. In order to do this we should never throw our waste away in the sea or on our shores.

When we go to the beach we should always take with us four different plastic bags and separate out waste in to them – plastic, paper, metal and glass.

We must take care of turtles. During our summer nights we must leasve our shores as quiet as possible, so that turtles cay lay their eggs. Plastic bags kill turtles as they consider them to be food. Although a turtle can live up to 100 years or more, a female turtle can only start to bear young when she is about 20 years old!

When we are on our boats and we happen to see some dolphins, we should keep a distance and never touch them. Dolphins are wild not domestic animals. They need freedom. We are against catching dolphins for shows.
Did you know that healthy dolphins swim around the Maltese coast every day? How can dolphins live in a concrete box of a few square metres?

We thank BICREF, especially Dr. Vella for teaching us a lot about Maltese marine life and for spending her precious time with us.

By N. Pinjai, E. Ridewood, L. Fenech, N. M. Cassar, M. Pisani, K. Bugeja, J. Gauci, D. Buhagiar, E. Gatt, K. Buhagiar, H. Tonna, E. Pisani, J.C. Cassar, and R. J. Polidani.

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A thousand words

For three young students from Skola Sajf, a picture says 1,000 words

Last summer, Skola Sajf B'Buga invited Dr. Vella on behalf of BICREF to talk to them about the biodiversity and conservation of the local marine ecosystem.

As a follow-up activity apart from sending their comments on the subject to Junior News supplied above, the students were asked for drawings on the this topic. These were the best three: Curt Buhagiar, Henna Tonna,and Nicole Park.

Side Note:

Ms. Anna Degiorgio also assisted in this BICREF activity and should be acknowledged for her voluntary time.