In accordance with Article 69 of Cap. 549, the habitats recognised for protection in Malta are those listed in Schedule I of S.L. 549.44 – Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Regulations.
The habitats listed in Schedule I of S.L. 549.44 include a diverse range of ecosystems, from terrestrial woodlands and coastal dunes to freshwater and marine habitats. These habitats are of European importance and support a wealth of biodiversity. Some of the areas which support these habitats are also designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), ensuring their protection under the EU Habitats Directive.
Habitats of the Maltese Islands |
|
Code | Habitat Name |
1110 | Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time |
1120* | Posidonia beds (Posidonion oceanicae) |
1150* | Coastal lagoons |
1170 | Reefs |
1240 | Vegetated sea cliffs of the Mediterranean coasts with endemic Limonium spp. |
1310 | Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand |
1410 | Mediterranean salt meadows (Juncetalia maritimi) |
1420 | Mediterranean and thermo-Atlantic halophilous scrubs (Sarcocornetea fruticosi) |
2110 | Â Embryonic shifting dunes |
2210 | Crucianellion maritimae fixed beach dunes |
2220 | Dunes with Euphorbia terracina |
3140 | Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara spp. |
3170* | Mediterranean temporary ponds |
5230* | Arborescent matorral with Laurus nobilis |
5330 | Thermo-Mediterranean and pre-desert scrub |
5410 | West Mediterranean clifftop phryganas (Astragalo-Plantaginetum subulatae) |
5420 | Sarcopoterium spinosum phryganas |
5430 | Endemic phryganas of the Euphorbio-Verbascion |
6220* | Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea |
8210 | Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation |
8310 | Caves not open to the public |
8330 | Submerged or partially submerged sea caves |
92A0 | Salix alba and Populus alba galleries |
92D0 | Southern riparian galleries and thickets (Nerio-Tamaricetea and Securinegion tinctoriae) |
9320 | Olea and Ceratonia forests |
9340 | Quercus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia forests |
9540 | Mediterranean pine forests with endemic Mesogean pines |
9570* |
Tetraclinis articulata forests |
* Indicates priority natural habitat types in danger of disappearance
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Disclaimer:
It is important to note that not all habitats listed in Schedule I of S.L. 549.44 are automatically protected. Only adequate representatives of these habitats that meet the criteria for designation are formally protected as SACs under Maltese law. These SACs have been assessed and designated for their ecological significance and contribution to national and European biodiversity.