Cabildo Coordinates Seabird Rescue Campaign Across Lanzarote

The Cabildo has brought together municipal authorities, emergency services and environmental organisations to coordinate a campaign which aims to prevent and respond to incidents involving seabirds during their first flights.

A meeting was held on Wednesday, led by the Councillor for the Environment, Samuel Martín, and the head of the Environmental Service, Paco Fabelo. Representatives from the island’s municipalities, Local Police, Civil Protection groups, the Lanzarote Tourism Federation and the Security and Emergency Consortium also attended.

The meeting focused on the response plan for the coming months and the coordination procedures between the different public services involved in recovering and caring for birds found during the campaign.

Campaign materials, including posters and collection boxes for Local Police departments, were distributed to municipal representatives. The boxes are intended for the temporary care of rescued birds, while the information materials outline the recommended response, emergency contact numbers and measures to help reduce incidents.

First flights and light pollution

Between September and November, juvenile seabirds make their first night-time flights from their nesting areas towards the sea. Artificial lighting can dazzle and disorient species such as the Atlantic shearwater and Bulwer’s petrel, causing them to lose their way and fall to the ground.

Once grounded, the birds are at risk from traffic, predators and injury.

Figures from the Injured Wildlife Rescue Service show that 184 Atlantic shearwaters were treated in 2025, making it the most frequently recorded species. Most were juveniles affected by artificial lighting.

To help reduce the number of incidents, the Cabildo is encouraging households, tourist accommodation, businesses and public authorities to switch off or dim unnecessary outdoor lighting, direct lights towards the ground where possible, and check patios, gardens, terraces, car parks and underneath vehicles during the highest-risk periods.

Advice for the public

Anyone who finds a disorientated shearwater is advised to gently cover the bird with a cloth and place it in a closed, ventilated cardboard box. The box should be kept in a dark, quiet and sheltered place, and the location and time the bird was found should be noted.

Members of the public should then call 112 or Environmental Agents on 928 598 548 and follow the instructions provided. The Cabildo advises people not to give the bird food or water, use a flash, throw it into the air or attempt to release it themselves.

The campaign, under the slogan “Locate, Protect, and Report”, will continue to share information with municipalities and participating organisations throughout the season to encourage the early reporting of stranded birds and ensure they receive appropriate care.