The IbizaPreservation Foundation has captured a total of 584 invasive snakes during the 2025 campaign of the Protegim Ses Sargantanes project, an initiative launched in 2023 to curb the spread of introduced snake species in Ibiza and protect the Pitiusan lizard, an endemic species of the archipelago. With this figure, the total number of specimens removed since the project began now stands at 1,172 snakes, all of them horseshoe snakes, considered one of the main threats to the island’s terrestrial biodiversity.
This year’s campaign once again focused on two protected natural areas — ses Feixes de Talamanca and the Ses Salines Natural Park — and significantly expanded its scope thanks to collaboration with the agricultural sector. In total, 350 traps were installed, representing an increase of 32.5% compared to 2024 and almost nine times more than in 2023, the project’s first year.
Fewer snake captures in ses Feixes and record figures in Ses Salines
In ses Feixes de Talamanca, traps were active from May to November, with 21 inspections carried out. A total of 49 serpents were captured in this area, compared to 98 in 2024. According to IbizaPreservation, this decrease may be due to several factors. “The October floods and damage caused by rodents forced the removal of half of the devices, but we also believe it is likely that the serpent population has shifted to other areas,” explains Itziar Arratibel Ostolaza, programme director of the foundation.
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