Storm Harry’s aftermath: The wildlife toll we are overlooking

Arnold Sciberras, Jonathan Agius and Jeffrey Sciberras 

Storm Harry dominated headlines across Malta, with extensive coverage of the reshaped coastline, damaged infrastructure, and powerful waves that tore away illegal coastal structures. 

In places such as Għar Lapsi, some reports even suggested that the storm had “restored” the area to a more natural state. Yet amid the striking imagery and human focused narratives, one crucial aspect has been largely ignored: how Malta’s wildlife endured the event or, in many cases, did not survive it.

This was most evident at Pretty Bay. In the days after the storm, the shoreline displayed clear signs of ecological destruction. Dead marine and coastal animals were scattered along the beach, transforming the bay into what could sorrowfully be described as “Cemetery Bay.”

Conservative estimates indicate that hundreds, possibly more than a thousand, wild animals died due to the violent seas, extreme wave forces, and sudden habitat disruption triggered by Storm Harry.

Many marine species were found dead after being violently swept inshore. These included damselfish and several other coastal and nearshore species typically associated with shallow rocky or sandy environments. Such organisms are especially vulnerable to intense turbulence, sediment movement, and sudden changes in pressure and exposure. 

Despite the widespread loss, a few lives were saved. During on site efforts, we rescued a fire worm, several marine snails, an octopus, a Morey eel and several sea cucumbers. These small victories were overshadowed by the scale of mortality observed.

The impact was not limited to the sea. Several terrestrial species also washed-up dead along the coast and surrounding areas, including lizards, snakes and shrews. Several migratory insects were also found dead everywhere. These animals were likely displaced by flooding and storm surge, then overwhelmed by the extreme conditions. Large stretches of coastal vegetation also suffered damage, either burnt by salt exposure, uprooted by waves or buried under sediment carried inshore.

Meanwhile, much of the public discussion shifted elsewhere. Many people rushed to catch fish that had escaped from offshore fish farms, turning the aftermath into an unexpected fishing event. Far fewer noticed the extensive damage inflicted on the coastal seabed. Some preliminary field observations revealed heavy scouring, burial of benthic habitats and the disruption of fragile nearshore ecosystems. These impacts may take a long time to recover, if recovery occurs at all.

Concerns have also been raised by animal enthusiasts and residents about the sudden disappearance of colonies of alien species, including feral cats and free roaming chickens and ducks that inhabit coastal and peri urban zones. It is still unclear whether they perished or managed to seek shelter during the storm’s peak. There is cautious hope that some survived and may reappear as conditions stabilise. Their disappearance nonetheless highlights how extreme weather events disrupt all fauna, both native and non-native, living in exposed environments.

As surveys and field assessments continue in the coming days, more vulnerable wildlife will almost certainly be found, whether already deceased or needing urgent help. This unfolding situation underscores a difficult truth. Extreme storms do more than reshape coastlines and remove structures. 

They inflict a profound, often invisible, toll on ecosystems.