The initiative, promoted in collaboration with GEN-GOB and Amics de la Terra, informs the community about the threat of invasive snakes and offers practical resources
Ibiza, September 16, 2025 – IbizaPreservation has launched a new communications campaign to raise awareness among the local community about the risk invasive snakes pose to the Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) , a critically endangered species endemic to Ibiza and Formentera. The initiative, which is supported by GEN-GOB and Amics de la Terra, aims to “offer informative and practical tools so that citizens can get involved in its protection,” explains IbizaPreservation.
The campaign provides the public with a website in three languages (Catalan, Spanish, and English), available at www.protegimsessargantanes.org , which offers up-to-date information on the status of the Ibiza wall lizard and the threat posed by invasive snakes. It also includes instructions on what to do if you spot a snake, how to properly handle a trap, and how to get involved in local control initiatives .
In addition, graphic materials and social media posts have been developed to “facilitate the dissemination of the message and reach all sectors of society,” according to IbizaPreservation. The infographics and resources are designed to be easily shared and adapted to different audiences, from residents to visitors.
The goal of this initiative is also to raise awareness about the ecological importance of this species, which plays a key role in the natural balance of the islands. “Lizards contribute to biological pest control and soil nutrient cycling, so their disappearance would have direct consequences for the health of local ecosystems and crops,” emphasised Inma Saranova, director of IbizaPreservation.
Amics de la Terra and GEN-GOB emphasised the need to involve society in this challenge . In this regard, the president of Amics de la Terra, Hazel Morgan, stated that she highly valued “the involvement of a significant portion of the public, a key element in the conservation of lizards.” For her part, Agnès Vidal of GEN-GOB added, “There are many people in Ibiza who want to get involved in snake control, because they understand that such an intense task can only be carried out with the collaboration of everyone: citizens, associations, and institutions.”
The collaborating organisations highlighted that the spread of invasive snakes, partly fuelled by the importation of ornamental olive trees, has had a devastating impact on the lizard populations in Ibiza and Formentera . They explained that the campaign seeks to strengthen and complement the institutional actions already underway, offering the public clear and accessible tools to act in an informed and effective manner. “The conservation of the Ibiza wall lizard depends on collective commitment,” they concluded.
