IbizaPreservation intensifies efforts to protect Ibiza wall lizard for third consecutive year

The main threat to the Ibiza Wall Lizzard is the Horshoe Whip Snake which is belived to have inadvertantly introduced to the island in imported tree root balls.

Tourism deposited garbage also threatens the population.

Ibiza, 19 December 2025 – IbizaPreservation captured a total of 584 invasive snakes during the 2025 campaign, launched in 2023 to curb the spread of introduced snake species in Ibiza and protect the Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis).

Since the project began, the foundation has captured 1,172 horseshoe whip snakes (Hemorrhois hippocrepis), one of the main threats to the island’s terrestrial biodiversity.

This year, 350 traps were installed, representing a 32.5 percent increase compared to 2024 and almost nine times more than in the project’s first year.

“The increase in the snake population in the Ses Salines Natural Park is particularly concerning, as it threatens a lizard population that was previously considered healthy,. “Annual monitoring carried out by GEN-GOB shows that this population is now in decline and will eventually disappear if the spread of snakes is not stopped.”

The countryside, a key ally in protecting the Ibiza wall lizard

Citizen involvement through the agricultural sector continued to grow in 2025, strengthening the project’s reach in rural areas. This year, 68 farms participated, 20 more than in 2024, when the initiative was first launched.

A total of 250 traps were installed on farmland, including those on 12 farms .

In addition, 21 farms from the Es Fornàs Residents’ Association collaborated in a coordinated manner. As a result, 467 snakes were captured on farmland.

The high level of participation reflects the strong commitment of Ibiza’s citizens to controlling invasive species and protecting the Ibiza wall lizard,” emphasised Arratibel.

The introduction of non-native snakes to Ibiza and Formentera has caused a serious ecological imbalance, placing the Ibiza wall lizard, an endemic species with key ecological functions such as pollination and pest control, at significant risk. At present, trapping remains the only available tool to contain the spread of these invasive snakes.

“The Ibiza wall lizard is in a critical situation, yet there is still no approved conservation plan to coordinate strategies and resources.

By 2026, it is imperative to expand trapping efforts, particularly in the south of the island, where lizard populations are still being detected. In this context, the role of the public administration is essential and cannot be further delayed,” warned Roig, underlining the urgency of strengthening existing measures.

In response, IbizaPreservation has called for the intensification of mass trapping in the south of the island to improve the protection of the remaining populations, alongside the implementation of complementary measures to ensure the long-term conservation of the species.

The foundation also highlighted the importance of safeguarding the territory of Formentera in order to protect the lizard populations present there. Meanwhile, IbizaPreservation is already working on the planning of its 2026 campaign, with the aim of continuing to  be in defence of Ibiza’s natural heritage.