The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment has formed the first working group for the ex situ conservation of the Pitiusa lizard(Podarcis pityusensis), with the aim of ensuring the survival of this endemic species of the Pitiusas, seriously threatened by the spread of invasive snakes that affect their natural habitat.
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The meeting, held at the Parc Insular de Sa Coma (Ibiza), was attended by the Balearic Government, the Consell de Ibiza, the Consell de Formentera and scientific institutions such as the Barcelona Zoo Foundation, the Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and the Consortium for the Recovery of Fauna of the Balearic Islands (Cofib).
“It is a decisive step to unify efforts and provide a solid and well-structured response to a threat that affects the entire Pitiusan archipelago,” said the general director of Natural Environment and Forest Management, Anna Torres.
32 hatchlings mark conservation milestone
During the session, the progress of the ex situ breeding plan was presented, which seeks to establish reserve populations and reinforce the most vulnerable natural nuclei. According to the data presented, the 17 specimens transferred in May to the Barcelona Zoo have given rise to 32 offspring born in captivity, an achievement that marks a milestone in the recovery of the species.
New refuges and genetic lines
The group also reviewed the project to create safe havens for lizard populations, which will be built before the end of the year in the public estates of Can Marines and Sa Coma.
The extension of the breeding program to five new genetic lines from islets threatened by invasive snakes, selected after a risk analysis study, was also announced.
The Bioparc Foundation, invited to the meeting, will soon join the collaboration agreement that the Government already has with the Barcelona Zoo Foundation, reinforcing the scientific and technical capabilities of the program.
A long-term plan
The working group agreed on a schedule of actions that will consolidate the ex situ conservation strategy for the Pitiusa lizard. Institutional and scientific coordination will allow combining research, environmental management and dissemination, in order to ensure the genetic and ecological viability of the species.
The pitiusa lizard, symbol of Ibiza and Formentera, is one of the emblems of Balearic biodiversity. Its situation, however, remains critical due to the expansion of invasive snakes, a threat that has spread to several islets of the archipelago.
