The Balearic Government is planning a network of up to eight protected refuges across Ibiza to help safeguard the island's endemic wall lizard, Podarcis pityusensis, from invasive snakes that have caused severe declines in its populations.

The first refuge, located at the Can Marines education and vocational training centre in Santa Eulària, is already home to 44 lizards transferred from populations in south-west Ibiza. A second enclosure has also been built at the site and is expected to become operational once vegetation and suitable hiding places have been installed.

The announcement was made by representatives of the regional Government's Species Protection Service on 6 November, as officials outlined the next stages of a conservation programme designed to maintain protected populations and potentially support future reintroductions.

The initiative comes as the authorities also reinforce the legal requirements surrounding the capture, handling and confinement of this protected species, following the opening of disciplinary proceedings over an unauthorised private refuge.

First Official Refuge at Can Marines Holds 44 Lizards

The first operational refuge is located at the Centre d'Educació i Formació Professional (CEFP) Can Marines in Santa Eulària.

It currently houses 44 Ibiza wall lizards transferred from populations in the south-west of the island. The group consists of 24 females, 16 males and four individuals whose sex has not yet been determined.

According to Irene Garneria, a technical officer with the Balearic Government's Species Protection Service, the objective is to maintain a population in an enclosure that invasive snakes cannot access.

Each lizard has been individually identified through photographs, and biological samples have been collected to allow researchers to study their DNA and genetic variability.

The refuge has been designed to recreate suitable natural conditions, with native vegetation, fruit trees, plants that encourage pollinators and water points. It also includes video surveillance, a weather station and traps around the perimeter to monitor and control snakes.

The design received technical advice from Barcelona Zoo.

Second Refuge Being Prepared at the Same Site

A second refuge has already been constructed at Can Marines, although it is not yet ready to receive animals.

The basic structure is in place, but vegetation and additional shelter features still need to be installed so the lizards have suitable places to hide.

The Government expects the facility to become operational in the coming weeks.

The first group of lizards was transferred in October, rather than immediately after the initial refuge was presented in June, because the authorities first needed to obtain the necessary permits, including registration as a zoological establishment.

The process illustrates the regulatory and technical requirements involved in establishing facilities for protected wildlife.

Network of Up to Eight Refuges Planned

The Government's current plan is to establish up to eight refuges across Ibiza, although the network could eventually be expanded.

The facilities will operate as part of a coordinated conservation strategy. This could include the controlled transfer of individuals between refuges to support population management and maintain genetic diversity.

Not every refuge will necessarily serve exactly the same purpose. Some may focus primarily on protecting populations, while others could also support environmental education and scientific research.

The Government is also preparing an agreement with a private organisation that has offered land for another refuge. The proposed facility is expected to join the network before the end of 2026 and will be managed by the regional Department of the Natural Environment.

This is an important distinction from independent private initiatives: the proposed site will be incorporated into the official programme through an agreement and managed by the competent administration.

Future Reintroductions Could Help Restore Depleted Areas

One of the longer-term objectives is to use the protected populations as potential sources for reintroducing the species into parts of Ibiza where invasive snake numbers have become very low or almost non-existent.

However, any reintroduction would depend on suitable environmental conditions and effective control of the predators responsible for the decline.

The refuges are therefore intended to provide protected populations that could contribute to the recovery of the species when and where conditions allow.

The conservation strategy also includes measures outside the island's natural habitats.

The Balearic Government works with Barcelona Zoo on an ex-situ conservation and breeding programme. In 2025, the first specimens were transferred to the zoo for study and breeding. In May 2026, the programme reported 32 hatchlings and announced the transfer of another 33 lizards from six Pityusic islets.

The authorities are also working to expand the network of institutions able to support the programme. Zaragoza Aquarium and Madrid Zoo Aquarium have expressed interest in hosting populations, while Bioparc Valencia has joined the conservation initiative.

Invasive Snakes Continue to Threaten the Species

The spread of invasive snakes is one of the main threats to the Ibiza wall lizard.

The horseshoe whip snake, Hemorrhois hippocrepis, was accidentally introduced to Ibiza in the early 2000s, probably through the importation of ornamental olive trees. It has since spread across the island and has had a severe impact on native lizard populations.

Scientific research published in April 2026 also documented that horseshoe whip snakes can swim between Ibiza and nearby islets. Researchers observed one reaching the islet of Santa Eulària, approximately 430 metres from the eastern coast, and recorded 58 snakes captured there between September 2023 and May 2025.

The findings show that even populations on small offshore islands, previously considered more protected by the surrounding sea, may be vulnerable to the spread of invasive predators.

The Government continues to coordinate snake-control campaigns through the Consortium for the Recovery of Wildlife in the Balearic Islands (COFIB). Its wider strategy combines trapping and removal of invasive snakes with the protection and breeding of native lizards.

Why an Unauthorised Private Refuge Has Led to Disciplinary Proceedings

The announcement of the official refuge network comes amid controversy surrounding a separate private facility established by an individual seeking to protect Ibiza wall lizards.

On 5 November, the Balearic Government announced that it had opened disciplinary proceedings over the possession and confinement of protected lizards in this private enclosure.

The case originated from an inspection by environmental officers on 26 April 2026. During the inspection, three lizards were observed, although one of the people responsible for the enclosure stated that it contained 18 animals.

The Government said the facility was not part of its official conservation programmes and that technical assessments found the enclosure did not provide sufficient guarantees against the entry of invasive snakes.

The authorities have proposed a €6,000 penalty, arguing that capturing, keeping or confining protected animals requires prior administrative authorisation.

The proceedings concern the absence of the necessary authorisation. The proposed penalty should not be confused with a final, confirmed fine.

The Government has also ordered temporary measures to safeguard the animals while arrangements are made to transfer them to a facility that meets the required technical and legal conditions.

Officials have stressed that the conservation of protected species must be carried out through programmes supervised by the competent authorities, with appropriate scientific planning, animal welfare measures and monitoring.

Government Seeks Stronger Protection Status

The Ibiza wall lizard is currently classified as vulnerable in the Balearic Catalogue of Threatened Species and Special Protection.

The Government has requested that the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge consider upgrading its national status to endangered. It also intends to pursue a corresponding change in the Balearic classification.

Such a change would involve moving from a conservation plan to a recovery plan, bringing additional measures and obligations.

The reclassification has not yet been completed and will depend on the relevant administrative procedures.

A Coordinated Approach to Protect Ibiza's Natural Heritage

The planned network of refuges represents one part of a wider effort to protect an animal that is closely associated with the natural identity of Ibiza and the surrounding Pityusic Islands.

By combining protected populations, scientific monitoring, breeding programmes, cooperation with zoos and the removal of invasive snakes, the authorities aim to improve the species' chances of survival.

The long-term challenge will be to ensure that these protected populations can eventually contribute to the recovery of wild lizards in suitable areas of Ibiza, while preventing further losses caused by invasive predators.

For the island, the conservation of Podarcis pityusensis is not only about protecting an endemic species, but also preserving an important part of its natural heritage.