Hunting season begins on Lanzarote

We’re now in Lanzarote’s hunting season, an increasingly controversial period when pet owners should take extra care in rural areas.

Hunters on Lanzarote are legally permitted to hunt for three species – rabbits, which are hunted using a dog or a ferret; and rock pigeons and barbary partridges, which may be flushed by dogs and shot with rifles. Falconry for all three species is also permitted.

Rabbit hunting is permitted on Thursdays and Sundays between the 3rd August and the 26th October, while shooting is only allowed on the five Sundays from the 28th September until the 26th October.

Hunting is a traditional activity on Lanzarote – the island’s inhabitants are nicknamed “conejeros” (rabbit hunters) because of the importance of the trade in rabbit skins in previous centuries. There are currently 485 rifle licences on the island and 567 permits to hunt by other means.

The Cabildo insists that hunting is necessary to cull species that damage crops, and hunting associations claim they are protective of the island’s wildlife, but the critics of hunting are also vocal in their opposition. They claim that hunters let dogs run wild and that they can kill other, protected, species, as well as household pets.

Environmental groups have campaigned against hunting in areas such as El Jable, where rare birds such as the Hubara Bustard and Cream Coloured Courser breed. The behaviour of hunters, who are accused of damaging historical walls and invading protected areas, has also been denounced.

Meanwhile, animal welfare organisations have campaigned for a ban on hunting for years, mainly because of the fate of several podenco hunting dogs during the season. An inquisitive, energetic dog, the podenco is the chosen species of rabbit hunters on the island but if an animal doesn’t perform well, it will often be abandoned. The presence of unchipped podencos at SARA animal shelter is clear evidence of this.

The stand-off between animal defenders and the island’s hunters continues, but while hunting still takes place, pet owners are advised to take special care if walking their dogs in rural areas on Thursdays and Sundays in autumn. Those living in the countryside should also consider keeping animals indoors on hunting days.