BOE Extends Invasive Snake Classification Across All Balearic Islands to Strengthen Wildlife Protection

October 30, 2026

The Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) has extended the classification of introduced snakes from the Colubridae family as invasive species across the entire Balearic Islands, strengthening the legal framework for their prevention, monitoring, control and possible eradication.

The change was introduced through Ministerial Order TED/1096/2026, published on 19 October and effective from 20 October. It follows a request made by the Balearic Government in October 2025 to extend the existing classification beyond Ibiza and Formentera.

Until now, the classification applied to Ibiza and Formentera, where introduced snakes have become a serious threat to native wildlife, particularly the endemic Ibiza wall lizard, known locally as the sargantana pitiüsa.

The updated regulation extends the geographical scope to Mallorca and Menorca, with specific exemptions for certain snake species recognised as native on those islands.

Why the Regulation Has Been Extended

The expansion is intended to prevent introduced snake populations from spreading between the islands and to give environmental authorities a stronger legal basis for managing established populations.

The Balearic Government says the new framework will facilitate prevention measures, monitoring, trapping, control operations and possible eradication where appropriate.

Introduced snakes can prey on reptiles, birds and small mammals, creating additional pressure on island ecosystems. Their impact is particularly concerning in isolated environments, where native species may have limited geographical distributions and fewer opportunities to recover from predation.

In Ibiza and Formentera, the spread of introduced snakes has had especially serious consequences for the Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis), one of the Pitiusas' characteristic native species.

Which Snake Species Are Exempt?

The new regulation includes specific exceptions for three species recognised as native in Mallorca and Menorca.

The exceptions are:

  • Macroprotodon mauritanicus, known as the false smooth snake or cogulla snake, is exempt in Mallorca and Menorca.

  • Natrix maura, the viperine water snake, is exempt in Mallorca and Menorca.

  • Zamenis scalaris, the ladder snake, is exempt in Menorca but remains included in the invasive-species classification in Mallorca.

Consequently, the same snake species can have a different legal classification depending on the island where it is found.

The regulation concerns introduced snakes belonging to the Colubridae family. It does not mean that every snake species found in the Balearic Islands is automatically classified as invasive.

New Control Campaign Planned for Mallorca

Alongside the regulatory change, the Balearic Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment is preparing a specific campaign to intensify control measures in Mallorca and its surrounding islets.

The planned work aims to reduce the presence of introduced snakes in environmentally sensitive areas, limit their impact on native wildlife and prevent further expansion.

Monitoring, trapping and control activities are already taking place in Mallorca, particularly in protected natural areas, islets and other locations considered sensitive.

The authorities have highlighted the importance of early detection and preventing new introductions, particularly on small offshore islets where snake populations could threaten native wildlife with very limited distributions.

These locations include areas supporting populations of the Balearic wall lizard (Podarcis lilfordi), while other conservation priorities include the Mallorcan midwife toad, known as the ferreret, and the European storm petrel.

Protecting Ibiza's Endemic Wall Lizard

The extension of the regulation also highlights the continuing challenge of protecting Ibiza and Formentera's native wildlife from introduced predators.

The Ibiza wall lizard is endemic to the Pitiusas and plays an important role in the islands' natural ecosystems. The spread of introduced snakes has placed significant pressure on its populations.

By extending the legal framework across the Balearic archipelago, authorities aim to strengthen prevention and control measures and reduce the risk of introduced species spreading between islands.

The new regulation does not represent an immediate eradication of snake populations, but provides the legal basis for environmental authorities to intensify management and control measures across a wider area of the Balearic Islands.

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