Discarded drinks cans and bottles are creating a hidden danger for Ibiza’s native lizards, with seven animals found inside a single abandoned can during a hike around Cap Llentrisca. The incident, reported by local nature advocates, highlights how everyday litter can become a potentially fatal trap for wildlife already facing serious conservation pressures.

The discovery was made by Marc Torres, an Ibiza-based photographer and hiking guide who regularly collects rubbish encountered on his excursions. While emptying a discarded can before disposing of it, he found seven lizards inside. The container still smelled unpleasant and contained some liquid, but Torres said he could not determine exactly how the animals had died.

Another nature advocate, Dean Gallagher, has reported similar incidents in an urban area of Ibiza Town, where dead lizards have been found inside discarded cans and bottles near the end of Carrer de Ramon Muntaner, close to Hotel Los Molinos.

Their accounts draw attention to a simple but preventable problem: litter left in the countryside, along the coast and on city streets can continue to cause harm long after the people who discarded it have gone.

Seven Lizards Found Inside a Single Drinks Can

Torres discovered the seven lizards during an outing around Cap Llentrisca, an area where lizards are still present in places where invasive snakes have apparently not yet become established.

He and his hiking partner, Donovan, routinely collect rubbish on their walks. Torres has developed the habit of emptying cans before throwing them away, and this time the simple action revealed how dangerous an abandoned container could be.

One lizard emerged, then another, until seven had been found inside the same can.

Torres said he had encountered lizards in discarded cans before, usually one or two at a time. His associate Donovan had also previously found a glass bottle containing four lizards, although in that instance he managed to rescue them.

The cause of death in the seven-lizard incident could not be established. Torres suspected that a combination of trapped liquid, possible drowning and extreme heat may have contributed, but he did not claim to know precisely what happened.

The discovery nevertheless illustrates how a discarded container can become a trap for multiple animals at once.

Why Cans and Bottles Can Trap Lizards

The mechanism is relatively simple. Residues from sugary drinks and energy drinks, along with the smell of beer, can attract lizards searching for moisture or food.

Once an animal enters a container, the smooth metal or glass interior can make it difficult to climb back out. If a can is standing upright, the sides may offer little or no grip. Even when a container is lying on its side, an animal can struggle to escape.

Sunlight creates an additional danger. Metal cans and glass containers exposed to strong sunshine can become very hot, potentially exposing trapped animals to heat stress. Liquid remaining inside may also increase the risk of drowning.

The result can be a slow death from dehydration, heat or exhaustion, even though the animal entered the container in search of something as basic as water or food.

This risk is not limited to remote countryside. Gallagher has described finding dead lizards inside containers in an urban location near the sea, where discarded cans, bottles, cigarette butts and paper cups were also scattered across the ground.

He has already reported the problem to the Balearic Wildlife Recovery Consortium, known as COFIB.

A Further Hazard for Ibiza’s Endangered Native Lizard

The lizard at the centre of these reports is the Pityusic wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis), a species native to Ibiza, Formentera and the surrounding islets.

Its conservation status is already a major concern. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classified the species as Endangered in its 2024 Red List assessment, identifying invasive snakes, particularly the horseshoe whip snake, as a major driver of population decline.

The Government of the Balearic Islands has also introduced conservation measures in response to the threat posed by invasive snakes, including trapping programmes and protected refuges intended to safeguard lizard populations.

The recent reports of animals trapped in rubbish do not quantify the overall impact of litter on the species. However, they demonstrate another avoidable danger for individual lizards, particularly in places where discarded containers remain exposed to the sun.

Protecting the species requires action on larger ecological threats as well as practical steps to prevent unnecessary wildlife deaths caused by human behaviour.

Litter After Drinking Sessions Leaves More Than an Eyesore

Gallagher’s observations near Carrer de Ramon Muntaner also highlight the wider effects of rubbish left after outdoor drinking sessions and other gatherings.

His footage shows discarded cans, bottles, cigarette butts and paper cups scattered through a dry urban area near the coast. He has called for stronger action from public authorities, including regular foot patrols, consideration of security cameras in affected areas and organised litter collections.

Gallagher argues that people enjoying Ibiza should take responsibility for the waste they generate, rather than leaving it behind for other residents, cleaning services or wildlife to deal with.

Torres also sees the issue as an opportunity for public education. Through his outdoor activities and photography, he encourages people to value the island’s natural environment and understand that small actions can have real consequences.

Neither man's observations amount to a scientific survey of litter-related lizard deaths, but the individual cases reveal a practical problem that can be addressed immediately.

What Residents and Visitors Can Do

The advice from the nature advocates is straightforward: take all rubbish away and dispose of it properly.

Cans and bottles abandoned in the countryside, at viewpoints, near beaches or on urban streets should not be left where wildlife can enter them. Containers should be checked carefully before disposal, because an animal may already be trapped inside. If a live lizard is found, care should be taken to release it safely before the container is made unusable.

Glass bottles also require attention in dry vegetation, where they may present an additional fire risk under some conditions.

A few simple habits can help reduce the danger:

• Take cans, bottles and other rubbish to the appropriate bins rather than leaving them outdoors.

• Check containers carefully before disposing of or crushing them, making sure no animal is inside.

• If a lizard is trapped or injured and cannot be freed safely, seek advice from the appropriate wildlife rescue service.

• Join responsible litter collections and avoid leaving waste after picnics, beach visits or outdoor gatherings.

These actions cannot resolve the wider conservation crisis facing Ibiza’s lizards, but they can prevent avoidable harm.

An Easily Preventable Threat to Ibiza’s Wildlife

The discovery of seven lizards inside one can is a stark reminder that litter is more than a visual problem. Containers discarded carelessly can remain in the environment and endanger wildlife long after their contents have been consumed.

For Ibiza’s native lizard, already under pressure from invasive predators, every avoidable hazard matters. The reports from Torres and Gallagher offer a clear message to residents and visitors alike: dispose of rubbish responsibly, check cans and bottles before discarding them, and leave Ibiza’s natural spaces as clean as they should be.

Protecting the island’s wildlife depends on coordinated conservation efforts, but it also begins with everyday decisions. A can taken to the bin instead of abandoned outdoors may be one less trap waiting for the next lizard.