A Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, inaugurated on Monday within the grounds of the Xrobb l-Għaġin Nature Park, will provide shelter and rehabilitation facilities for injured wildlife and serve as a hub for environmental research and education. 

The centre was opened by the energy and environment minister, Miriam Dalli and the Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett along with the president of Nature Trust Malta Vince Attard and the director-general of Ambjent Malta Herman Galea.

The centre was developed by Nature Trust Malta, in collaboration with Ambjent Malta, with a €2.5 million investment co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

It features rehabilitation facilities for diverse wildlife, including marine, terrestrial and avian fauna, offering a sanctuary for their recovery before reintroduction to their habitats.

The centre will provide improved facilities for Nature Trust’s Wildlife Rescue Team, which receives financial assistance from the Environment and Resources Authority and other contributors, to rescue and care for injured wildlife.

The project also includes a Marine Research Centre and an educational area for children and visitors, where they will be able to learn about Maltese wildlife and their conservation.

The Centre is housed in the former building of the Deutsche Welle radio station, which closed down in 1996. The building, which is recognised as a structure of significant industrial heritage value, was restored and repurposed for its new life as a wildlife centre. It also includes several sustainable building services, such as renewable energy, water conservation and waste management systems.

More than 20,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted around the building and in other areas of the nature park, creating a thriving ecosystem.

The Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park will be open every day from 8am to 5pm.