The Balearic Government has rejected allegations that snake traps used to control invasive species in Ibiza are being left without proper maintenance, saying that around 3,000 traps across the Pityusic Islands and surrounding islets are monitored weekly.

The response follows a complaint from biologist Antònia Maria Cirer, promoter of SOS Sargantanes, and Marilina Serra Cardona, spokesperson for Sargantana Power, who reported finding dead mice, decomposed snakes and dead Ibiza wall lizards in several traps.

Government Says the Traps in Question Were Stolen or Vandalised

The controversy centres on photographs showing traps containing dead mice, animal remains and accumulated dirt.

According to the Department of Natural Environment, however, the traps shown in the images were not currently under COFIB's control because they had previously been stolen or vandalised.

The Government says one of the photographed traps was officially recorded as stolen on March 11. It argues that once a trap disappears from its designated location, it is no longer possible for COFIB to carry out its normal weekly maintenance.

The administration says the same applies to other damaged or missing traps shown in the photographs.

13 People Now Monitor the Snake-Control Programme

The Government says the snake-control operation has been significantly expanded this year.

A total of 13 people are now dedicated to controlling invasive snakes across the Pityusic Islands, representing an increase of almost 50% in human resources compared with previous levels.

The number of traps has also risen to approximately 3,000 across Ibiza, Formentera and surrounding islets, with particularly intensive efforts focused on the western expansion front of the horseshoe whip snake in Ibiza.

The traps have also remained active throughout the entire year for the second consecutive year, including during winter.

The Govern Says Every Active Trap Is Geolocated

One of the Government's main arguments is that traps managed by COFIB are geolocated and subject to weekly checks.

The administration says its monitoring system allows officials to identify when a trap disappears from its assigned location.

It also says that maintenance and inspection of the mice used as bait are carried out according to established protocols designed to maintain the effectiveness of the traps and the welfare of the animals used as bait.

The Government therefore rejects the suggestion that active COFIB traps can remain unattended for months.

More Than 50 Traps Reportedly Stolen in Ibiza

The scale of the problem with missing equipment is significant.

According to the Government, approximately 50 snake traps have been stolen across Ibiza, including around 15 in the Ses Salines Natural Park alone.

Officials are warning residents not to remove, move or interfere with the traps.

If someone discovers an abnormality involving a trap, the Government says they should contact 112 rather than manipulate the device themselves.

The administration argues that removing public traps can interfere with the invasive-species control programme and potentially undermine the wider conservation effort.

Why the Traps Matter

The trapping programme is part of Ibiza's increasingly intensive battle against the horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis), an invasive predator that has expanded rapidly across the island.

The species poses a serious threat to the Pityusic wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis), an endemic species found in Ibiza, Formentera and nearby islets.

The scale of the response has increased substantially. During the 2025 campaign, the Government reported 3,604 snakes captured in Ibiza using 1,930 traps, including 3,528 horseshoe whip snakes. Across the Pityusic Islands, more than 4,400 invasive snakes were captured.

A Bigger Conservation Programme Is Underway

The Government is also investing in measures beyond traditional trapping.

The European LIFE Reptiles project is bringing €2.18 million to conservation work in the Balearics, including new technologies for detecting and controlling invasive snakes.

These include environmental DNA monitoring, artificial intelligence, drones and improved trapping systems, while authorities are also creating protected refuges where native lizards can survive without access from invasive snakes.

The Balearic Government says its investment in the fight against invasive snakes in the Pityusic Islands has now exceeded €3 million since the beginning of the current legislature.

Conservationists Still Demand Answers

The Government's response comes after Cirer and Serra called for greater scrutiny of how the trapping programme is being managed.

They maintain that they have documented dead mice, decomposed snakes and trapped lizards in devices they identify as part of the COFIB programme.

They argue that the problem is not only the impact on the invasive snakes themselves, but also the possibility that native Ibiza wall lizards could accidentally become trapped, undermining the very conservation effort the programme is intended to support.

The Government, however, maintains that the photographs cannot be used as evidence of inadequate maintenance of the traps currently under COFIB's management because the devices shown had been stolen or vandalised.

For now, the dispute highlights the enormous logistical challenge of controlling an invasive predator across thousands of traps — while protecting the native species the programme is designed to save.

Source: Noudiari