A disoriented shearwater in Arrecife, a loggerhead sea turtle located on the coast of Tías or an injured kestrel in Teguise. These are some of the actions carried out by the Injured Wildlife Collection Service of the Cabildo de Lanzarote since last April 1 it began to be provided through direct management through the Environmental Agents.
The service records reflect more than twenty interventions carried out between April and May in different municipalities of the island, attending to specimens of injured, trapped or at-risk wildlife. Among the assisted species are shearwaters, yellow-legged gulls, herons, cetaceans, sea turtles, kestrels and other vulnerable marine birds.
The president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, points out that “biodiversity conservation requires public services prepared to act quickly and effectively in situations that directly affect our wild fauna.” “Lanzarote has a unique natural heritage and protecting it also means attending to, recovering and returning to the natural environment those specimens that can survive thanks to specialized intervention,” he explains.
Likewise, the Minister of Environment, Samuel Martín, indicates that “the direct management of the service through the Environmental Agents has allowed improving response capacity and reinforcing direct monitoring of incidents related to wild fauna.”
Martín highlighted “the work carried out by the Environmental Agents on the ground, often acting in complex situations that require speed, coordination and specific training to guarantee the safety and recovery of the animals.”
How to act in the presence of injured wildlife
The Cabildo reminds that to report incidents related to injured or at-risk wild animals, the Injured Wildlife Collection Service can receive notifications through 112 or through the Security and Emergency Consortium of Lanzarote, which keeps this service operational 24 hours a day to activate the Environmental Agents when necessary.
From the Environment Area, the importance of avoiding direct handling of animals if specialized knowledge is not available is emphasized, as an inadequate action can aggravate internal injuries, generate stress or hinder their subsequent recovery.
In the case of marine species, such as turtles, it is recommended to keep the animal in a quiet and shaded area while specialized personnel arrive, avoiding moving it unnecessarily.
Additionally, incidents related to domestic animals must be reported to the corresponding town hall or to the Policía Local of each municipality. Likewise, the email [email protected] remains operational for inquiries or communications related to the collection of injured wild fauna.
Specialized training to reinforce attention to wild fauna
The reinforcement of the injured wild fauna collection and rescue service also involves the continuous training of personnel in charge of intervening on the ground. In this regard, the Environmental Agents of the Cabildo de Lanzarote participate on May 19 and 20 in specialized training sessions focused on the collection, handling, and initial care of injured wild animals.
The training addresses specific action protocols for different species, especially marine birds, turtles, and vulnerable fauna, as well as immobilization techniques, safe transport, and initial assessment procedures before specialized veterinary care.
These sessions are part of the service strengthening process after its direct integration into the Environment and Landscape Area of the Cabildo, a measure that has allowed for the expansion of human resources and improved operational capacity in the face of incidents related to island biodiversity.
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