The Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, through the Department of Environment, held a coordination meeting this Wednesday for the 2026 Wingbeat Campaign, aimed at preventing and addressing incidents that occur during the first flights of young shearwaters and other marine birds.
The meeting, held in the Cabildo's Assembly Hall, was led by the Minister of Environment, Samuel Martín, and the Head of the Environment Service, Paco Fabelo, and included representatives from the island's town councils, Local Police, and Civil Protection from the different municipalities, as well as the Lanzarote Tourism Federation and the Security and Emergency Consortium.
During the meeting, the plan to be developed over the coming months and the coordination mechanisms between the administrations and services involved were discussed to facilitate the collection and care of the located specimens.
Likewise, the Cabildo distributed graphic material and campaign posters among the municipal representatives, as well as boxes for the local police for the collection and temporary custody of the birds. This material will allow municipalities to have visible information to convey to citizens the guidelines for action, the alert phone numbers, and the measures that can be taken to reduce incidents.
Samuel Martín highlighted that “prior coordination allows each municipality to know how to act and have the necessary resources and information when the period of greatest incidence begins. The participation of the local police, Civil Protection, the town councils, emergency services, and the tourism sector is especially important so that we can respond to alerts in an organized manner throughout the island”.
First flights and light pollution
Between September and November, juvenile seabirds of different species undertake their first nocturnal flights from nesting areas to the sea. During this process, artificial lighting can dazzle and disorient species such as the Atlantic shearwater and Bulwer's petrel, causing them to lose their trajectory and fall to the ground. Once on the ground, they are exposed to being run over, predation, and possible injuries.
The incidence of this phenomenon is reflected in the data from the Injured Wildlife Collection Service; during 2025, 184 Atlantic shearwater specimens were attended to, being the species registered in the largest number and mainly consisting of juveniles injured as a consequence of artificial lights.
For this reason, the campaign also focuses on prevention. The Cabildo recommends that households, tourist establishments, companies, and administrations turn off or reduce unnecessary exterior lighting, correctly orient luminaires towards the ground, and check patios, gardens, terraces, parking lots, and under vehicles during the highest risk dates.
Locate, protect, and report
Upon finding a disoriented shearwater, it is recommended to keep people and animals away, gently cover the bird with a cloth, and place it in a closed, ventilated cardboard box, which should be kept in a dark, quiet, and protected place. It is also advisable to note the location and time it was found.
Subsequently, 112 or Environmental Agents should be notified, by calling 928 598 548, and the instructions of the competent personnel should be followed. The animal should not be given food or water, nor should a flash be used, nor should it be thrown into the air or an attempt be made to release it on one's own.
Under the slogan “Locate, protect, and report,” the Cabildo will disseminate information to the different municipalities and sectors involved during the campaign to facilitate early detection of specimens and their proper care.
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