The Cabildo of Lanzarote has approved the opening of hunting in the non-reserved areas of the municipality of Haría, after the prohibition decreed last August due to the appearance of signs of poisoning of fauna in the area.
The decision comes after almost two months of preventive closure motivated by the serious poisoning episodes recorded in the northern municipality since the beginning of August, which affected both wild fauna and domestic animals. In total, 24 cases were counted, including hunting dogs, cats, hedgehogs and specimens of the Canarian raven, a species in danger of extinction.
The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, stressed that "we have acted with the utmost prudence and responsibility, always prioritizing public health, biodiversity and the safety of the hunters themselves. The temporary closure was a painful but necessary measure, and today we can reopen with the certainty that there are sufficient guarantees."
Betancort thanked the hunting sector for their behavior during these months and pointed out that the Cabildo has complied with the planned deadlines. "The Lanzarote hunter has once again demonstrated that he is exemplary, that he practices a sustainable and responsible activity, and that he has understood that this temporary prohibition was not against them, but against those who poison our land," he said.
For his part, the Minister of Environment and Hunting, Samuel Martín, stressed that "the authorization is conditional on no further poisoning episodes occurring, so surveillance will continue to be exhaustive in the northern area." In addition, he recalled that "citizen collaboration is essential, so if anyone detects signs of poison, they should notify immediately so that we can act quickly and avoid irreparable damage to the fauna and ecosystem."
Periods, areas and authorized species
The reopening in Haría is in accordance with the provisions of the Order of June 26, 2025, which regulates the hunting seasons in the Canary Islands for the 2025-2026 season. Thus, in the municipality of Haría it will be possible to hunt rabbits with dogs and ferrets until October 31, on Thursdays, Sundays and national or regional holidays; rabbits with shotguns and dogs from September 28 to October 31, also Thursdays, Sundays and holidays; and Barbary partridge with dogs and shotguns from October 5 to November 2, only on Sundays and holidays.
In all cases, the conditions, quotas and limitations established by regional regulations and the specific restrictions in the reserved areas that remain closed must be respected, including Guinate; the surroundings of Máguez and Yé; the upper area of Haría and Malpaso, and other scattered points in the northern strip.
A rigorous control process
The closure was adopted immediately on August 8, after the first corpses and poisoned baits were detected. Subsequently, the Island Hunting Council, meeting urgently, unanimously agreed to extend the closure for 15 days and recommend its maintenance when new cases were confirmed.
In mid-September, the Cabildo reached an agreement with the Lanzarote Hunters Association to design a zoning system that would allow hunting to be partially reopened in safe, poison-free areas. Finally, the latest technical reports from the Environment Area have certified the disappearance of risks, which has allowed the reopening of hunting activity in the non-reserved areas of the municipality, as established by the regional hunting order for the 2025-2026 season.
The resolution has been notified to the Government of the Canary Islands, the Lanzarote Hunters Association, the Haría City Council, the SEPRONA and the General State Administration, reinforcing coordination between administrations in the fight against the illegal use of poisons in the natural environment.