The Balearic Government has announced plans to create a new public foundation to ensure the continuity of the islands' wildlife recovery service from January 1, 2027.

The move will follow the expiry of the current agreement between the Govern and Fundación Natura Parc, which has provided the service through the Consorcio para la Recuperación de la Fauna de las Illes Balears, known as COFIB.

The existing agreement remains in force until December 31, 2026.

New Public Management Model

The Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Natural says it was unable to reach an agreement that would allow the current arrangement to continue under financially sustainable conditions and within the applicable legal framework.

As a result, it has decided to introduce a new public management model based on a new public foundation.

The Govern says the new structure will provide greater long-term stability for the wildlife recovery service across the Balearic Islands.

Current COFIB Staff to Transfer

One of the key points of the announcement concerns the professionals currently working for COFIB through Fundación Natura Parc.

The Govern says those employees will transfer to the new public foundation from January 1, 2027.

The aim is to retain the knowledge and specialist experience accumulated by the team over more than two decades.

The announcement follows concerns raised in August by the workers' committee and CCOO over the future of around 50 employees when the existing agreement expires.

Government Says There Will Be No Interruption

The Directorate General for Natural Environment and Forestry Management says the transition between the two management models will take place without interruptions to the service.

To make that possible, the Govern says it will provide the temporary facilities needed for the wildlife recovery service to remain fully operational from the beginning of 2027.

The Government has not yet detailed the permanent locations or full structure of the new public foundation.

Permanent Centres Planned for Every Island

Alongside the creation of the new foundation, the Conselleria is working towards establishing permanent public wildlife recovery centres on all of the Balearic Islands.

The current plan envisages starting construction of these facilities during 2027.

The proposed centres are intended to consolidate the new public management model and adapt the wildlife recovery network to the current needs of the archipelago.

At this stage, the construction programme is a future plan. The Government has said it expects work to begin in 2027, rather than announcing that construction has already started.

A Service Covering Wildlife Recovery and Conservation

The service's responsibilities extend beyond treating injured animals.

According to the Govern, the new public model will continue work involving the recovery and conservation of wild animals, the control of invasive species and the protection of biodiversity.

The service therefore plays a role in both wildlife rehabilitation and wider environmental management across the islands.

Record Number of Animals Treated in 2025

The importance of the service can be seen in the latest full-year figures.

Balearic wildlife recovery centres treated 7,637 animals during 2025, the highest number recorded since the centres began operating.

Mallorca accounted for 5,605 animals, followed by Menorca with 1,473, Ibiza with 547 and Formentera with 12.

Around 47% of all the animals treated were eventually rehabilitated and released back into the natural environment.

Ibiza's Role in the Network

The figures show that Ibiza forms an important part of the regional wildlife recovery system.

The island accounted for 547 of the animals admitted to Balearic recovery centres during 2025.

The COFIB network also works with citizens and local authorities on issues involving invasive species. The Government reported more than 1,200 notifications through the Línia Verda reporting system during 2025, with usage particularly significant in Ibiza and Formentera.

The new public model is therefore expected to affect a service that already has a direct role in wildlife management on the Pityusic Islands.

More Than Two Decades of Conservation Work

The existing collaboration between the Govern and Fundación Natura Parc dates back more than 20 years.

During that period, the COFIB service has developed expertise in wildlife rehabilitation, conservation programmes and the management of invasive species.

The Balearic Government has publicly recognised Natura Parc's contribution and says the new model is intended to preserve the professional knowledge and experience accumulated by the current team.

The Current Agreement Continues Until the End of 2026

The transition will not take place immediately.

The existing agreement between the Govern and Fundación Natura Parc remains fully valid until December 31, 2026, and both parties are expected to continue meeting their obligations until that date.

The new public model is scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2027.

A New Chapter for Wildlife Protection in the Balearics

The creation of the public foundation will mark a change in how the Balearic wildlife recovery service is managed after more than two decades of collaboration with Fundación Natura Parc.

The immediate priority is continuity, with the Govern planning to retain the existing specialist workforce and provide temporary facilities from the start of 2027.

Longer term, the Government says it intends to build permanent public wildlife recovery centres across all the islands, with construction expected to begin during 2027.

For Ibiza, the change concerns a service that treated hundreds of animals on the island during 2025 and forms part of the wider system responsible for wildlife recovery and biodiversity protection across the Balearics.