The first case of the appearance of dead birds took place in Vega de San José in Teguise, on the morning of May 30. The municipal police were alerted by the neighbors and appeared in the area. Near a pond they found several dozen dead seagulls. This first episode has been followed by others in Risco de Famara, in La Presa de Mala and in Famara beach, in the old water galleries.
All possibilities are open, since the cause of death of hundreds of seagulls that have been appearing in different parts of Lanzarote is unknown so far. The Public Health services collected water samples from the puddles, which were delivered to Seprona together with the corpses of some birds for analysis. These analyses are carried out by the company TRACSA and the results are still unknown to the environmental authorities of the island. An autopsy has also been performed on some of the birds. However, so far it has not been possible to determine the cause of the mass death of seagulls, although the first indications suggest poisoning. In fact, without the result of the analyzed waters having been given, one of the hypotheses that is handled is that they could have been poisoned after ingesting some substance in the Zonzamas landfill.
In Teguise, the first measures were to seal off the pond where the seagulls had drunk and pour a truckload of earth over it to avoid major consequences after the samples were taken by the Public Health services.
According to sources close to Seprona, there is no record of similar episodes having occurred in Lanzarote in recent times. These same sources draw attention to the fact that only seagulls have been affected among the different species of birds on the island.
The authorities of the Cabildo in environmental matters have been informed of these facts without an official public pronouncement having been made.
The El Guincho ecologist group has denounced the facts, after having knowledge of them, and demands explanations from the competent administration.