The Les Malgrats lizard, at risk of imminent extinction

PalmThe GOB has warned that the recent "invasion" of snakes arriving from the mainland in Ibiza and Formentera is putting the Pitiusas lizard, a species endemic to the Balearic Islands, at extreme risk of extinction. Furthermore, they denounced that the efforts of the authorities to control the spread of these snakes, especially the horseshoe snake, are "insufficient" and the lizard's future "looks very bleak."

However, the problem between snakes and lizards, the GOB has pointed out, is not exclusive to the Pitiusas, but is also affecting the Cabrera archipelago and some islets in Mallorca and Menorca where the endemic species lives. Of this species, up to 25 subspecies have been described, five of which live on islets in Mallorca; a dozen in Menorca; and another in Cabrera. One is exclusive to the Malgrats Islands, located off the coast of Calvià.

According to the GOB, the snakes arriving from Mallorca to Les Malgrats could have already wiped out all the lizards on the islet of Els Conejos, while on Les Malgrats the population has already suffered a significant decline.

If this trend continues, this subspecies of the reptile will eventually disappear from both islets and, therefore, will lead to global extinction in the wild.

Conservation and recovery plans

According to the entity's count, the Balearic Islands have 149 small islands or islets with terrestrial fauna and flora, whose physical separation from the rest of the archipelago has made them unique in the world. The best-known case is that of the lizards, but they also have some endemic invertebrates and plants. They also often serve as refuges where seabirds rest and breed.

Although 80% of these islets are protected by some form of protection, 40% of the total do not have approved management plans that establish the limitations and conservation measures necessary to preserve their biodiversity. Addressing this "very obvious" need, the GOB denounced, has so far been neglected by the regional environmental administration, the GOB lamented.

On the other hand, the entity has criticized the fact that, unlike what happens in other island territories around the world, in the Balearic Islands these issues are only addressed when an invasive species could affect sensitive economic sectors such as agriculture. Controls to prevent the entry of invasive species are being "insufficient," which is why, in the opinion of the GOB, it is necessary to coordinate a biosecurity strategy.

In a statement, they explained that this could monitor and anticipate the arrival of invasive species, generate regulations and protocols, control entry points for agricultural goods and gardening establishments, eradicate these species once they are detected, and inform the public. Something like this, the entity has pointed out, is already included in the amendment to the law for the conservation of areas of environmental relevance, which was approved last term, but "unfortunately has not made it past paper."

Environmental legislation also establishes that species classified as endangered must have recovery or conservation plans. Currently, however, of the 88 endangered or vulnerable species in the Balearic Islands, 20 still do not have a plan approved by law, including lizards. "It is urgent to draft and approve the conservation and recovery plans for species that are still pending, as well as to update those that have already expired. Without them, action is taken reactively to impacts, but planning for potential threats is necessary to make progress on the problem," the GOB stated.

Although the GOB has acknowledged its "lack of confidence" that the current government will solve this problem, it has called for a "change of direction to avoid irreparable losses to the natural heritage."